


Leftover Pages from the Great Tome

by tiakall



Category: Dragon Quest XI
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, NaNoWriMo, Shorts, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:42:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 32,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22980433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiakall/pseuds/tiakall
Summary: When on a journey to defeat a great evil, not every day is filled with harrowing fights and heroic deeds.  Some days hold within them friendship, loss, or quiet reflection.
Comments: 10
Kudos: 32





	1. [Act 1] The end of a girl's training

**Author's Note:**

> I've tagged each story with the act it takes place in - I recommend finishing the act before reading the respective story to avoid spoilers. Since Hero has no established canon name, I refer to him as "Junichi" when I use a name, which is wordplay on the Japanese eleven, "juuichi".

The last few years had added a weariness to his bones that Rab hadn't been able to shake, but it always seemed to lessen just a bit as he made his way up the quiet mountain path to Angri-La. Maybe it was just the smell of the crisp mountain air that reminded him of his younger days, of difficult but happy times. As it had been the last time he'd come up, the spring melts had started, the earliest flowers waking from their hibernation and popping up through the patchy snow. 

A couple of acolytes were taking a break by the gate, playing in the slush as he approached. "Oh, Lord Robert!" one greeted. "Welcome back. Shall I tell Grand Master Pang of your arrival?"

"That'd be appreciated." He paused at the base of the stairs, long enough to catch his breath, before making his way inside. 

He hadn't even made it halfway up before he heard excited footsteps coming down, Jade's head popping up at the top of the stairs. "Uncle Rab! You're back!" She practically flew down the stairs, launching herself into his arms for a hug.

Rab chuckled, patting her head. "Aye, that I am. How is yer training coming?"

She puffed up as much as a twelve-year-old could. "I've gotten a lot stronger. Come and I'll show you."

"All right, ye can show me later. I need to let Grand Master Pang know I'm here first."

She giggled. "Or you'll get the naughty stick?"

Who had been telling a child about this part of his history? "Yes, lass, I wouldn't want to be naughty. Come, we'll have some time to catch up in a bit."

Jade let go of him, taking his hand as she walked up the stairs with him. "You... didn't find him yet?"

"Nae, lass." Three years of searching had led to naught. How far from Dundrasil could an infant have gotten, and could he have still survived that trip? In truth, he didn't have much hope left, but he couldn't tell Jade that. "Don't ye worry. We'll find him some day."

She nodded, finally releasing his hand as he paused outside Grand Master Pang's study. "She's expecting you," the acolyte at the door said, stepping aside.

He nodded and stepped inside, then took a seat on the thatched floor, keeping his legs under himself. "I've returned, Grand Master."

"So I see." The woman turned to face him, sitting in the same fashion. She looked like she hadn't changed at all these last few years, or indeed, not since he'd been an adult, letting her know that his daughter was expecting. She still had that air of absolute power that made her so worthy of respect even as he also found her terrifying. "How goes your search?" He shook his head, choosing not to elaborate. "I see. And have you found any new information, then?"

"I have a name," he said solemnly. "Have ye heard of 'Mordegon' before?"

She closed her eyes, considering. "Possibly. I shall consult my records. You believe this Mordegon related to the attack on Dundrasil, then?"

"I think he might've been the one behind it. And that of Zwaardsrust. I always thought there were some similarities, but talking to some of the survivors I've found, they heard the same name from the monsters. Whoever this Mordegon is, he seems to be able to compel monsters to join his side. So I dinnae think it's a standing army he's got waiting in the wings. He just rounds up monsters whenever he wants to make a strike."

"And there's no shortage of monsters in the world right now." 

Rab nodded. "If we're to go against him, we'd best be prepared for an army. Speaking of that 'we'... How is Jade coming along?"

"About that." Pang met his eyes with her usual unyielding gaze. "Take her with you this time, Robert."

"Grand Master? But, her training--"

"Is complete. Or at least, it's as complete as it can be at this time. She's only twelve, so she needs some time to grow into that body of hers."

"Can't she do that here?"

"I'm not in the business of babysitting, Robert." She stared him down witheringly. "Take her with you."

"But she'll be safe here."

The naughty stick was in her hand before he could even react, whacking him on the top of his head. "Fool! Do you think she has trained for three years, much harder than you ever did, so that she could hide behind our walls? Do you understand nothing of children, Robert, even though you raised one yourself? A child needs her family. If you will not take her back to her father, then take her with you."

"It wasnae my choice to keep her from her father. It was hers." He rubbed at the smarting area. "She's... scared of him. Of all his talk of revenge on the Darkspawn. That's what he's calling the Luminary, you know. We fear there's some dark tendril of Mordegon whisperin' to him. If that's the case, how could I put her in his hands?"

"Then take her with you. That's what she wants, Robert. It's why she's trained." Pang rested the naughty stick across her knees. "Of course, I cannot force you. If you insist on leaving her here, she will stay. But you will not be getting her back."

"Grand Master?"

"If you are going to abandon her, best we cut ties now, then, and save her a future heartache. She will become part of our family, and we will care for her. You will not need to return here in the future."

"Yer forcing my hand, Grand Master."

"I am doing exactly that, Robert. She is already twelve. She has already lost much of her childhood. She cannot waste the rest of it waiting for happiness while you dither." She rose to her feet, and Robert did likewise. "You do not need to make this decision this moment. Go and talk to her. I will take your decision when you leave with her, or without her."

He was being dismissed. Robert gave her a bow, leaving the way he had come. Grand Master Pang was no fool, he knew. But being on an isolated mountain, he didn't think she quite knew how much worse even just traveling had gotten. Rab could barely guarantee his own safety, let alone that of a child's. And she was a child. He was an old man, and if the worst came to worst... he'd had a long life. Revenge for his murdered family and protecting future generations from Mordegon's machinations would be nice, but if he died, he wouldn't really mind the chance to be reunited with them. And honestly, maybe Jade was better off without being tethered to someone who was waiting for death. 

Jade was waiting for him outside the entrance to the Field of Discipline, her face lighting up as she spotted him. "How did your talk with Grand Master Pang go?"

"She'll look into a few things for me. As always, it was enlightening to talk to her." He let her take his hand, leading him toward the practice grounds. "She said yer training's been going very well."

"Yeah! I'm real strong now. I wanted to show you." She moved back several feet, then shifted into an offensive stance. "Are you ready?"

"What, now?" He shucked off his travel pack. "Very well, lass, show me what you've got."

She took a breath, then ran for him, jumping int the air to deliver a kick. No, kicks, he quickly realized as he blocked with an arm, with surprising speed and power for her age. She bounded off his arm, landed behind him, and aimed a kick at the back of his knee. That one took him by surprise, knocking him to one knee, and he turned it into a full roll, landing back in a crouch. Jade didn't let up, letting out a yell as she aimed for his face, her foot coming up again. This time he caught it in one hand, giving it a little twist to throw her off balance. She moved with it, turning it into a flip, bringing her other foot up. He only just managed to block with his other hand. She landed on her hands, continuing her twist, and this time her foot caught his shoulder.

"Gah!" By Yggdrasil, she had energy to spare, as she continued to hammer him. And her blows didn't lack power, either--it was mainly thanks to his own training under Pang that he was able to weather the storm of kicks. Finally she paused a little ways away to catch her breath, and Rab raised a hand. "All right, lassie, that's enough. Ye've definitely proven yerself to me. Let's take a wee break, shall we?"

She beamed at the praise, then nodded, sitting down next to him as he sat on the edge of the field. "So did you find anything out?" she asked.

"Aye, that I did. I found the name of the one that did this. It's Mordegon."

"Mordegon," she repeated, clenching and unclenching one fist. "Is... he why my papa is all weird?"

"It could be, yes. Information on him is hard to track down."

"Are you going to fight him? Mordegon, I mean."

"Aye, if I can. But that's nae so close. I dinnae even know where he is right now, let alone how to defeat him." He sighed. "Say, lass. What are ye planning on when yer trainin's done? What do ye want to do?"

"I'm going to fight him, of course!" she declared. "I'll fight him, and save my papa. And I'll find Junichi. And I'll protect you. I'm going to rescue my whole family, and then everything will be fine again."

Family... his wife dead a long time ago, his daughter and son-in-law murdered, his grandson most likely dead as well. He had no family. Except for this little girl who spoke of him in the same breath as her only blood relation, who still had hope that somewhere out there, his grandson was still alive. And maybe he needed that reminder of hope, something that stood against the weariness inside him that just wanted to rest and let it all end. Maybe, actually, he needed her to come along more than she needed to leave. "Jade...."

"Yes, Uncle Rab?"

"Would ye... like to come with me?"

Her eyes widened. "Can I?"

"The Grand Master has given her permission. Says ye've completed yer training. It'll be dangerous, though."

"I don't care!" She jumped to her feet. "You don't have to worry about danger, Uncle Rab. I'll protect you. Please, can I come? I want to help."

He reached up, brushing some of the hair from her face. They were nothing alike, but somehow, she reminded him of Eleanor at that age, so full of hope and life. "Then I'll be counting on ye to protect me, lass. Let's move forward together."


	2. [Act 1] Volume one in mint condition

"Hello, sir! You look like a real connoisseur of fine literature!"

Rab looked up from the books he'd been eyeing on the merchant's shelves. The middle-aged man with a mustache almost as impressive as Rab's was watching him over the counter, grinning. "You look like a man who's got a hungering for a good book. Searching for anything in particular?"

"Perhaps." He ran his fingers along the spines. He hadn't particularly been looking for books on this shopping trip, just supplies to get them back to Puerto Valor. The trip to Phnom Nonh and the Nhou Wat ruins had been less informational than he'd hoped. But the smell of books had lured him in. "Monsters and magic, if ye've any on those."

"Monsters and magic? I assume you're not meaning a good fairy tale." He came around from behind the counter, examining the bookshelf. "We have a few guides to regional monsters, if that's what you're looking for?"

"Nae, something more..." More like something about Mordegon, Lord of Shadows. "Like unnatural behavior. Mass attacks, or controlling them."

"Mass attacks? You mean like what happened to Dundrasil a few years back?" The merchant frowned. "Don't think I've got anything like that, I'm sorry to say. What kind of magic are you looking for, then?"

"Combat magic. Offensive or defensive."

The merchant considered the bookshelf again, then pulled a few down, handing them to Rab. "Some of these might suit your fancy? I'll check in the back and see if I've got anything else."

"Let's see." Rab ran his fingers over the cover of one of them before flipping it over, scanning the contents. Ach, but the books with their detailed, textured covers and careful ink on crisp pages reminded him of the library that he'd had back home. Shelves upon shelves of learning on almost any topic you could think of, plus plenty of good old fashioned stories and even the children's books he'd gotten for Eleanor as a child that she had intended to pass along to her son. Books that he'd lost many of to the fires and damage in the attack that had taken his country. And those that had survived, he'd largely sold off to make money for his travels. Right, the contents. He continued to flip through, but nothing he saw that he didn't already know or that looked like it would be helpful for defeating a great evil. 

When the merchant returned, he was grinning. "I knew I had something a man of your refinement would appreciate. Take a look at this, sir. You're clearly a man who understands quality and condition."

Rab looked at the slim volume the merchant laid on the table. Not a book, but a magazine with a painting of a masked woman in a bunny outfit on its cover. "Ogler's Digest, eh? Now there's a name I havenae seen in a while."

"Volume one, mint condition. It's completely immaculate, no scratches or bent pages." The merchant smiled knowingly. "Would you like to take a look at the... articles?"

"I... I cannae, I'm traveling with my granddaughter." He looked over his shoulder. Jade was still across the street, staring hard at the list he'd given her and the vegetables on the stand in front of her.

"Comes with a protective opaque cover," the merchant said. "It'll keep it safe from prying eyes. I understand, sir. Men of our age need something to get their blood going."

Rab sighed, but curiosity prompted him to open it and turn the pages. How long had it been since he'd seen a volume of this magazine? He'd had a number of them in his youth, when the magazine had just been getting started, but he'd let them all go sometime in his adult life as an immaturity, a frivolous distraction. Family came first. He didn't think he'd ever seen volume one before, though.

Much of the pictures were focused on the same masked bunny girl on the cover, a woman who posed with whips and ropes, her stare unyielding. Her figure, her eyes and hair, but moreso her demeanor and expression... It reminded him of her so much. "How long has it been, sir?" the merchant asked quietly.

"Since what?"

"Since your wife died."

Rab stared in surprise. "It's been decades, but...."

The merchant nodded. "But in some ways, it seems like yesterday, right? You never really forget your love."

But that wasn't who the dominating woman reminded him of. Not sweet, innocent Eilidh, who Eleanor had taken after so much. Eilidh, who had agreed to marry him because she thought she could do some good as queen of Dundrasil, not because they were in love. He'd tried his best to be a good husband and love her, but he'd never been able to bring his feelings as deeply as he had with his first love. No, that was who this masked woman reminded him of, his first and only true love, a woman he'd known from the start he could never have, and yet his feelings still persisted to this day. All this bunny girl needed was a stick and she'd be the same woman he fell for all those years ago.

"Would you like it?" the merchant said. "I'll cut you a deal. It's extremely rare, but going to someone that appreciates it is important, too."

It was tempting, but it wasn't like he had money to spare on luxuries..... "Would ye take a trade?" he asked, pulling off his bag. He still some of the books that were still in good condition from the Dundrasil library, that he'd been using to fund their trip. "Since yer a man who appreciates art, maybe ye'll take this in exchange?"

The merchant looked at the offered book, then his eyes widened. "This is... A near-perfect condition copy of 'A Monstrous Love'!" he gasped out. "And it's signed!"

Rab nodded. "So do we have a deal, then?"

The merchant held out a hand, and Rab shook it. "I knew you were a man of taste when I saw you."

"It was a pleasure, sir." Rab placed the magazine inside its cover, then tucked it carefully into his bag. Let him have this small piece of nostalgia. He needed something besides Jade to remind him of things other than revenge. Speaking of Jade, it looked like the girl had just finished up her own task, packing the food in her bag carefully. "Did ye finish yer task, Jade?" he asked as he rejoined her.

She offered the list up to him. "I got everything on here. And I checked it off, too. See?"

He accepted the list and looked over it before tucking it away. "Good lass. We should be set, then. Are ye ready to set off again, then?"

"Yeah." She wrinkled her nose. "I don't like those ruins, they're creepy."

Rab chuckled. "Well, hopefully we'll nae have any reason to return any time soon, eh?"

"Did you find anything you needed, Uncle Rab?"

"Nae much. Just a trinket." He ruffled her hair. "Let's be off, then."


	3. [Act 1] Derk makes a friend

"Who's the blue-haired kid, Red?"

The innkeeper glanced up at Derk's question, then followed his gaze. "Oh, 'im? Name's Erik or summat. What you wanna know about him, Derk?"

He grinned. "How much it gonna cost me, Red?"

"Buy a drink."

He set down a few coins on the counter, and she turned behind her, pulling out a glass. "Dunno how much I can really tell ya, Derk. 'E blew into town from somewheres, keeps to 'imself. Just shows up for food once in a while. Doesn't even drink." She passed over a mug of something that smelled only slightly better than piss. 

"C'mon, Red, would yew really try to get a kid smashed?" He leaned against the bar, sipping at the drink. Tasted like alcohol. Good enough.

"If 'e pays me." She shrugged. "Unlike some other buggers I can name, 'e always pays in cash."

"Where's 'e gettin' it?"

"Same place most people with coin do, I assume. The kids ain't had much luck with pickpocketin' 'im."

"Huh. But 'e ain't workin' with nobody?"

Red shrugged. "Does anybody really work with anyone else down here, long time? But I ain't never seen 'im sittin' with nobody."

Neither had Derk, which was what had gotten him curious about the kid in the first place. Every time he'd seen Erik, he was sitting by himself, usually on the windowsill staring out the window like he was now. It was such a distant look, it always made Derk curious. "Thanks, Red. Think I'm gonna go talk to 'im."

"Good luck with that," she said, raising an eyebrow. "'E don't seem to make with the friendly much."

Derk pushed himself away from the bar with a grunt, carrying his drink over to the table by the windowsill. "'Ello, there," he greeted, taking a seat. "Your name's Erik, innit?"

The younger man glanced down, then turned his attention back to the window. "Whatever you're selling, I don't want any."

"Good thing I ain't sellin' any then, right?" Derk grinned, undeterred. "Me name's Derk. Do a bit of everything round here in Downtown, 'ere and there. What about you? What kind of work you runnin'?"

"Why would I tell you?"

"Just makin' conversation. Yew don't seem like the kind that has hobbies. Well, that's okay. I guess hobbies are kind of an expensive thing, huh?"

Erik looked at him again, then sighed. "Okay, I give. What's your sales pitch?"

"I told yew, I ain't sellin'. I just got curious, since I seen yew 'angin' round before. What're you always staring at?"

"Nothing in particular. It's not like there's much of a view." Erik frowned. "You've been watching me? That's creepy."

Derk snorted into his drink. "Well, people are always tellin' me I don't mind me own business."

"Have you considered listening?"

"Nope," he said cheerfully. "Well, if yew don't want to talk, how's about I tell yew a story? So this one time, me 'n this girl I'm 'angin' around with decide to nip up to Uptown, see if we can make a bit of quick cash...." It was a story he'd told a hundred times before, each time a bit more embellished with more guards, more treasure, and the sabrecats got just a bit bigger. But at its heart, it was the kind of story that made for a good yarn, and Derk noticed with satisfaction that by the end of it, he at least had Erik's attention. 

"Don't take this the wrong way," Erik said after Derk rattled off a second story. "But you sound like a pretty lousy thief."

Derk laughed. "I really am. ain't I? Get into a lot of scrapes cause of it. I'm a bit better at the buyin' and sellin' side of things, but yew gotta 'ave somefink to buy and sell first."

Erik rested his chin in one hand. "So you _are_ selling something."

"Not right now. I told yew, I don't got nuffin' to sell. But drinks taste a little better when you're not drinking them alone." Derk quaffed the rest of the mug. "Maybe next time you're 'ere, we can drink together, mayhap you tell me a story." He finally rose from the chair. "Well, I'm off to 'it the sack. I'll see yew round, Erik."

Erik grunted in response. Well, it wasn't a no, and hey, the kid had actually looked at him while he was talking. And maybe it was just Derk's optimism, but maybe he looked a little less lonely, too.

* * *

Well, he'd gone and done it. He'd invited Erik out onto a job, one that would see at least a little money into their pockets and might also be fun. And he'd thought the kid looked interested, but Erik being Erik, Derk wasn't really sure if he'd show. Working a job with someone involved at least a little trust (or insurance), and he just didn't know if Erik trusted him enough yet. The more time that passed, the more doubt nibbled at his edges. A clumsy thief like him asking anyone to pair up with him, let alone a guy that didn't team up with anyone, might've been asking too much.

Something landed right behind him with a soft thud, making him jump. "Well, here I am," Erik said as he rose from his crouch. "So, what's this job?"

"Erik!" Derk had to stop himself from giving the taller man a hug. "Erik, you... you really came...."

"You asked me to, didn't you? Don't look so surprised." Erik frowned. "This had better not be a trick."

"No, it's real, I swear it. Come wiv me, I'll explain on the way." Derk glanced around to make sure no one was obviously watching. "We're goin' explorin'. It'll be fun."

"Fun isn't going to pay for my bed or dinner," Erik said, but Derk thought he looked at least a little interested in the idea of exploring. "So where are we going?"

Derk grinned, waving for him to follow. Just to be sure, he chose a winding path, going in a roundabout way to the broken grate he'd found. "How much yew know about 'Eliodor, Erik?"

"Uh... It's a city?"

"They say this 'ill that 'Eliodor's restin' on used to be a bandits' den, way back when. They built tunnels inside the 'ill and 'id all their treasure in there."

"Derk, these are sewers."

"Well, sure, they are now," Derk conceded. "But before that, they was tunnels. T'aint nobody that knows where they all go."

"Uh huh. So do you have any idea of where this treasure might be?"

"I've done a little poking around, so I know where it's not, at least. Yew and me are gonna sniff it right out for sure, though!"

Erik let out a sigh, but followed Derk in, squinting in the darkness. Derk pulled a small lantern from his belt, lighting it. "So why me? You probably don't need two people to crawl around in dirty water."

"Well, I... I ain't too fond of the dark, now. Plus, it's safer with two," he added hastily. "Yew never know who's gonna fall in a 'ole or whatnot."

"Well, try not to fall in a hole," Erik said. "I didn't bring a rope."

Derk didn't answer, looking around as they got to a junction in the tunnels. "'Ow about we try this way, then?"

"Any reason?"

"My good intuition, o' course."

"Never let it be said you lack in confidence, at least," Erik said as he followed.

"Aw, I ain't, really. Like yew said, I ain't really much of a thief."

"So why do it?"

Derk shrugged. "What else yew gonna do for a livin' in Downtown? I ain't got the connections to make the good money. All I'm really good at is buyin' and sellin', and yew gotta 'ave money to make money. At least with this, it's fun sometimes. Yew get some real adventures out of this kind of thing, huh?"

A dracky came flapping into view, hissing at them, and Erik neatly swatted it aside. "I guess there is that. Having an adventure might be interesting."

"See, now you're getting into the spirit!" 

Derk took another step, then let out a yell as the ground crumbled under him, dropping him into a pit. Erik's head peered over the top. "I told you not to fall in a hole."

"Ow... Very funny." Derk pulled himself into a sitting position. Mostly just bruises, he thought, though his ankle wasn't looking too great. He pulled out a bit of medicine and a bandage. "Gimme a tick or two. Me ankle's 'urtin' somethin' proper."

There was a thud as Erik landed next to him in a crouch. "Oi, Erik! What'd yew go and do that for? Now we're both in a 'ole."

"Yeah, but I'm pretty sure I can climb back out." Erik pointed ahead of them. "Looks like you found another tunnel. This might lead back to an opening you can get out of."

Derk blinked. He hadn't even been paying attention to how the pit opened up in front of him. "So it do. Lemme just finish with this, and we'll have a look-see." 

Once his ankle was tightly bandaged, he felt safe enough putting weight on it. Erik offered him a hand up, pulling him to his feet easily. Wherever they had fallen into, it clearly wasn't a sewer like the ones above, for the dirt was relatively dry. The air around them smelled musty, earthy. "Don't seem like this place gets a lot of company, do it?"

"Can't imagine there's a lot of people dumb enough to wander around in sewers in general. I guess we're just special." Erik fell into step next to Derk, keeping to his pace as they walked down the tunnel. It was certainly plain enough, with no indications of what it might've been for, but the evenness of it meant that someone had to have made it. Derk was pinning his hopes on that.

They walked for a while in silence, listening for trouble, for signs of monsters or other people, but the only sounds were their boots in the dirt. Just when Derk thought their adventure might be nothing but a long, boring tunnel, Erik pointed. "I think it opens up ahead of us."

"You've got good eyes, don't yew?" Derk squinted, unable to see what he was seeing. But sure enough, as they got closer, it turned into a circular room, a few doorways springing off of it. "Well, don't that beat all! We found somethin', mucker!"

Erik knelt by one of the doorways, listening as he touched the handle. Slowly, he pulled it open. "Easy does it. See anything?"

"Nuffin' that looks like it's tryin' to kill us." Derk joined Erik at the door as it opened, the two of them peering inside.

Whatever they had discovered appeared to be some kind of workshop. Goods ranging from metal plates and cups to swords and knives lined a few shelves, along with several books. There was a large work desk with a stool, and in the corner, some sort of odd device Derk wasn't sure about. "Well, looks like you were right," Erik said as he entered the room. "It's not gold and gems, but this stuff looks like quality. We could sell it, don't you think?"

Derk began doing the calculations in his head, trying to decide which item would go to which buyers he knew, and how much they'd give him. "I think this'll cover your bed and food for a while, yeah. Sure is funny, ain't it? Not what you'd expect from bandits."

"Who knows? Maybe this wasn't a bandit, just some guy who liked working underground." Erik picked up something off the table, a bent metal thing, twirling it around his fingers. "Huh, haven't seen one of these in a while."

"What's that yew got?"

"Boomerang. It's a throwing weapon. You ever see one?" Derk shook his head. "I'll show you when we have more space."

"Yew keep it, then. Tain't no use sellin' what we can use, right? Might be good in case we run into any other monsters."

Erik considered, then tucked it in his belt. "How much of this can we carry out of here, do you think?"

"I did bring a backpack." Derk shucked it off, leaving it on the ground. Walking over to the odd table-like item, he picked up the book on top of it, scanning the pages. "Would yew look at this?"

"What'd you find?" Erik looked it over. "Some kind of weird furniture?"

"It's a forge, so this says," Derk said slowly, flipping the page. "Yew use it to make stuff. I wonder if whoever worked 'ere made all this with it?"

"You can read that?"

"Sure. Looks like the book's in pretty good shape."

"No, I mean... you can read?"

"What's that s'posed to mean? Course I can, I...." Derk put two and two together. "Wait, Erik... Yew can't read?"

He turned away, his expression a mix between anger and embarrassment. "Yeah, well, not all of us get to pal around Uptown."

Derk didn't respond to that. He knew that feeling of inferiority, of scorn from those who were the haves upon them, the have nots. "Erik... Yew wanna learn 'ow?"

"I mean, sure, it'd be a good thing to know, I guess, but the tutors aren't exactly breaking down my door."

"I can teach yew," Derk said. "I bet you'd get the 'ang of it, easy."

"Uh huh. And what do you want for lessons?"

"Come with me on some other jobs," Derk said. "Be helpful if two of us could read stuff like this, right?"

Erik crossed his arms, thinking about it. "Okay, fine. You give me a few lessons, I'll give you a few jobs. Seems fair enough."

Derk couldn't stop himself from beaming at Erik. Unexpectedly, he'd found another treasure in the underground tunnels. "It looks like this forge can collapse down. If I just twist it here..." He turned the ball on the top, and it folded up into a neat box that could fit in a large pocket. Derk tucked it and the book inside his pack. "Hey, Erik. When we get back, let's try makin' some stuff of our own, why don't we?"

"Huh? I dunno, Derk. I'm not really the crafty type."

"Me neither, but it'd be fun to try, right? That's what adventure is about, tryin' new things."

Erik chuckled. "Okay, fine, you've convinced me. Let's load up your bag and head back."

Derk's discerning eye selected a number of the best made goods, stuffing his bag to full. So full, in fact, that he tipped over once he put it on. Wordlessly, Erik picked it up, slinging it over one shoulder. "Let's find a way out of here now. We haven't even tried the other doors."

The second door they tried apparently had been a bathroom once, for it smelled worse than the sewers they'd come from. Derk hastily shut the door, trying the last one in the central room. It led to another hallway, this one shorter before opening up into a large cave, water lapping at the edges. "We should be able to find our way out by following the water," Derk said, pointing ahead to where the pond trickled into a stream. "Whew, we're probably going to be right outside the city when we get out of 'ere. 'Ope yew don't mind a bit of walkin'."

"I'm used to it, I..." Erik paused, then knelt down, looking at something by the water's edge. "Hey, look at this."

"Look at what?" Something white was sticking out of the ground, covered in a fine layer of silt from the water. Erik pulled it out, revealing a bone longer than his forearm. "Is that... an animal bone, I 'ope?"

"I don't want to alarm you," Erik said as he put it back on the ground. "But animal or otherwise, whatever could eat that is probably something we don't want to mess with." He pointed along the shore. Now Derk could see them: other patches of white, likely also discarded bones.

Derk gulped. "This is, uh... this'll be a real fun part of the story when we tell it to the others, right?"

Erik paused. "You hear something?"

"Erik, don't do me like that. I ain't hearin nuffin'."

"No, there's something el--Get down!" Erik jumped at Derk, knocking him flat as something passed by overhead with a rush of wind. Erik was back on his feet in an instant, the boomerang in his hand. 

"What, what is it?" Derk got out. "Is it a monster?" Erik pointed up. In the darkness, Derk could just make out massive wings above clawed feet and a beaklike face. "Wh-what is that?"

"Think I found our maneater," Erik muttered. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the boomerang flying into the air as the bird monster dove for them. It smacked neatly into its head, producing a squawk as the boomerang arced back around to Erik's hand. "We need to leave."

The creature cackled, a noise that echoed around the cavern, then shot up into the air before it descended again. Erik threw the boomerang again, scoring another hit, but it wasn't enough to deter as it grabbed for Derk, claws scratching. Derk yelped, covering his head with his arms. "Erik! 'Elp me!"

The scrabbling stopped as Erik slammed his shoulder against the bird, slashing at it with a knife he'd pulled from somewhere. It let out a screech, taking back off into the air. Erik grabbed Derk's arm, bodily hauling him to his feet. "Go!"

The bird shot into the air, letting out another bellow that shook the cavern. Derk felt his legs turn to jelly, stumbling as Erik dragged him along. And then, movement in the corner of his eye--not of the bird, but near it. Derk came to a halt as something with a snout poked out of a nearby cavern, neatly snapping around the bird's body, dragging it into the next cave as it screamed. Erik stood wordlessly next to Derk, his hand still on Derk's arm. "You... You saw that, right," Erik said, sounding as stunned as Derk felt.

"Sure as a biscuit's got butter. What... what was that?"

"I don't know. Do you want to stick around and find out?"

"Cor, _no_."

"I agree. Let's get the heck out of here." 

Derk let Erik take the lead, the pair of them silent. The lake dumped into a waterway that eventually opened out into the air, joining the river down below. Derk thought he probably hadn't been that grateful to see sunlight since the incident with the sabrecats. They took a seat on some rocks, enjoying the afternoon sun. Erik flopped back, tucking his hands behind his head. "Well, guess we found out why no one goes looking for treasure in the sewers. At least, not someone that's still alive."

"What do yew s'pose that thing was? Cor, the 'ead on that thing... it coulda swallowed both of us in one bite."

"Dunno. I've never seen a monster that size before. And I'm not going back to take a second look, either." Erik let out a short laugh. "You're right, this is going to be one heck of a story."

Derk smiled. "Yew... didn't leave me there."

"Huh?" Erik said up part way. "Of course I didn't. You would've gotten eaten."

He still had the bag, Derk noticed. It would've been so simple for him to leave Derk to his fate and keep all the profit. But from the confused expression he wore, the thought hadn't even occurred to him. What a good kid Erik was. "So we're doin' this again sometime, right?"

"No way. I just told you I'm not going back to get a second look at that."

"Naw, I mean a job. We'll find somethin' a little less stressful on the 'eart. Let's go rob some of those high muckety-mucks up in Uptown later. At least they won't eat us."

Erik laughed at that, laying back down on the rock. "Fair enough. We did make a deal. Let's talk about it over dinner."

"Done. And I'm buyin'."

* * *

Teaching someone to read and write was a bit trickier than he realized, Derk thought. Sure, Erik was a clever kid and seemed to take to the reading part pretty quickly, but writing was a whole other matter. Erik seemed so used to doing things with his left hand that getting him to write with his right, like Derk knew, was proving to be impossible. Derk eventually gave up and let Erik handle the pencil in his left hand, watching as he sussed it out on his own, figuring out how to hold the paper and pencil so he didn't smear the words while writing. It was a pleasant way to spend an evening, he thought, taking a beer as he watched the kid work. "Hey, Derk," Erik said as he passed a sheet over for examination. "Do you know what a 'Luminary' is?"

"A Luminary? What, yew need to know how to spell it?"

He shook his head. "No, I mean... what is it?"

"Some kinda 'ero or somethin', innit? Where'd yew 'ear about it?"

"Overheard some people talking about it. Didn't really get any detail, though. So, what is it? Some kind of hero, you said?"

"Yeah, some kinda legend or somethin'. Me ol' gran used to tell me stories and such. Saved the world from a great evil, so she'd say." Erik snorted an opinion of that. "'Ey, I'm just repeatin' what she said. 'E was the kinda thing yew usually 'ear about in stories like that, I'd think. Slayin' monsters, rescuin' babies, swingin' a sword 'ere and there."

"Hm. I guess if it's the stuff of legends, that hero isn't alive anymore."

"Cor, no. That was somethin' like 'undreds of years ago. Tain't no one alive nowadays that were alive back then. Why, yew wanna go stealin' 'is bones or somethin'?"

"I was hoping it was something valuable," Erik said as he grabbed for a new page. "I don't think anyone's looking to buy hero bones, though. Gotta make money for this stuff somehow. It's expensive."

"Aww, yew don't 'ave to worry none about the paper, Erik. I got me a nice bargain on it. It's on me."

"Why? What are you getting out of all of this?" Erik frowned. '"You keep giving me these things and not asking for anything for it. I'd rather you just tell me what you want in return."

This was the kind of thinking people in Downtown had, Derk knew. Always wanting to know what the bargain was, what was in it for each side. No wonder he didn't fit in that well. "You're givin' me some company and conversation on a quiet evenin'. Yeah, it's 'elpful to me if yew know 'ow to read the letters and whatnot, but bein' able to just 'ave a sit and yak about stuff that ain't important... that's worth more than some sheets of paper, don't yew think?"

Erik looked up in surprise, then looked away quickly. "You're not really getting your money's worth. I'm not really much for talking about stuff."

"It's enough." 

Erik continued to avoid eye contact awkwardly, rubbing at his neck. "So, uh... how does that look?"

"Oh, right, the writin'." Derk looked down at the page Erik had handed him. His writing was still a little shaky, the lines thick from too much pressure, but he'd written down the sentences Derk had told him properly. To Derk's surprise, at the end, he'd added something else.

'What do you know about the red orb?'

"Oh, we're exchangin' letters now, are we?" Derk pulled out a pencil of his own, writing out a reply and passing it over. 'You mean the Red Orb that's supposed to be Heliodor's royal treasure?' Adding in an arrow pointing at Erik's sentence, he continued, 'These letters should be big.'

"Why are they big?" Erik said with a frown as he read it. 

"Names an' such get big letters. It's a rule."

Erik made an irritated noise as he wrote something else down, passing it over. 'I know where it is. Is it worth a lot?'

Derk stared at the paper, at the admission on it. Erik always kept his skills and information to himself whenever possible, but this... how had he found this? "Don't read too much into it," Erik said. "We're just writing letters, right?"

Right. This was clearly information that they wanted to keep secret if they wanted to have a shot at it themselves. "It's the kinda thing yew usually send to a squeeze," he said as a cover, writing down a response. 'Very much a lot. The kind of lot that would set a man up for years. But it's locked up in the castle, tighter than a guard's buttons.'

"Like I said, don't read too much into it," Erik replied, casually resting his chin in his hand as the paper slid back across the table to him. "Unless you want to make something of it, that is." He wrote something down, then sent it back. 'It's not. We could get it. Do you know a buyer?'

He knew the words being spoken were code, an invitation for the job, but the cool, detached way he delivered it was doing funny things to Derk's insides, and he wasn't even into men. Erik was going to make some lucky person real happy one day. "Erik, yew... you're gonna make me blush in public." He had to think about the question. He'd have to be careful, but he knew some people that bought and sold outside the city, that would get it far away enough that it couldn't be traced back to them. Robbing from the royal family wouldn't get off lightly if they were caught. 'I know someone that sells outside the city and doesn't ask questions.'

Erik was grinning as he accepted the paper again, an expression Derk wasn't sure he'd seen before. Did Erik know the kind of effect he could have on people, or was he just enjoying watching Derk squirm? '50/50?'

Erik was offering him a job, instead of the other way around. A job that could actually get him out of Downtown and into something that wasn't scraping by. It was risky--the idea of being caught for stealing a royal treasure made him just as weak in the knees as their implied flirting. But more than the money and the risk, Erik had trusted him, had opened up a little to him. So he didn't hesitate at all as he wrote 'Deal.' on the bottom of the page.

"Thanks for the lesson, teacher," Erik said as he looked over the page, folded it up, and tucked it in a pocket. "Guess I'll be by for another one later. Don't go out tonight." He rose from the table, exiting the bar.

Derk had to sit for a moment longer, holding his now-empty mug, as he tried to process everything that had just happened. The gig of a lifetime with a real mucker. The kind of stuff people in Downtown only dreamed of. Red gave him a wink as he returned the mug to the counter. "G'luck tonight, 'ot stuff. Just keep your purse strings tied up tight."

"Right, uh, will do, Red. Thanks." 

* * *

They'd spent months planning it out, running the odd adventure inbetween to keep them fed and warm. They'd taken every precaution, and when they'd finally pulled off the heist, it had gone without a single hitch. So why now, after it was done and the Red Orb was safely hidden away, had they been caught now? Life truly was good at mucking things up when you least expected it. 

Behind them, he could hear the guards, and he felt Erik pick up the pace, dragging him along by the arm even harder. "Erik," he gasped out, struggling for breath. "I can't--"

Erik looked back at him, then around, and Derk could see the calculations running through his head. Trying to decide if Derk was dead weight to be dropped to save himself. Well, that was fair. He'd always been a lousy thief. It'd been fun for a little while, at least. Without warning, Erik grabbed him with both hands, bodily hefting him into a nearby haystack, sending him tumbling straight down the back side of it. He spluttered hay, too stunned to move. 

The shouts of the guards spurred him into action, and he shoved his way into the hay, pulling some over himself. It wasn't much of a hiding place, he knew. Maybe if they didn't look too hard, but that would probably require a distraction, like--

"He's over here!" one of the guards yelled, and Derk huddled down, squeezing his eyes shut. They were going to find him, that was for sure. And yet, he couldn't make himself try and run away, couldn't even stop himself from shaking as the noise continued.

Slowly, he realized it was moving away from him. More noise, the sounds of punches and slams, and then Erik's voice: "Get your hands off me, pigs!"

Erik? Hadn't he run away? Erik was faster than him, probably faster than the guards, he had to have escaped. He must have just misheard. Without Derk slowing him down, there was no way Erik would get caught. "There was another one, wasn't there?" one of the guards said. "Who are you working with, thief?"

"I don't talk to pigs--" His words were cut off with a grunt of pain.

"He must have gone that way," another guard said. "You try and catch him. Did you get a good luck at him?"

"Looked like every piece of dirt in Downtown." More movement. "Take him to the dungeon. We can make him talk there."

They were taking Erik away, they were going to torture him, maybe even kill him. He had to do something. But he couldn't make himself move, couldn't do anything other than shake with terror and frustration. He'd finally made a friend in Downtown, and now that friend was being thrown in a hole in the ground and he couldn't do anything about it. The only thing he was more useless at than being a thief was being a real mucker. 

He stayed put until all the noise of Downtown had gone back to normal, and he felt like he could trust his legs again. Slowly, he extracted himself from the haystack, making his way back to Red's place. Her eyebrows shot up as she saw him. "Y'know, Derk, when they call it a romp in the 'ay, they don't mean it literally."

"Red...."

Her brows drew together as she saw his face. "Wot, yew been cryin'? He break your heart that bad?"

"I... I'm headin' to my room fer the night. Need me a think." He trudged his way up the stairs, then unlocked his room, flopping straight onto the bed. He didn't even care that the door was still unlocked or that he was still covered in hay. What could he do now? He didn't have the ability to fight all of Heliodor to get Erik back. He couldn't even fight one person. And if you wanted to get anywhere without violence, you needed money, something else he didn't have. 

Well, wait. Derk sat up in bed. He had the Orb, still hidden away. He didn't have a seller lined up yet--it'd still be too hot to handle for a while--but there was that. The castle might also put out a reward for it. If it was good money, he could use that, bribe the guards... No, he thought after a moment with a sigh. The cost of bribing a guard to let out someone who stole a royal treasure was going to be far more than he could get out of it. He was going to need to think longer term than that. If he invested that money, started a business buying and selling... He could start putting away money, real money. He could bribe the guards slowly, make sure Erik stayed alive and comfortable. He wouldn't be able to do anything about saving him right now, but maybe, in the future.... It was all he could do. But it was better than nothing. And maybe, one day, it'd be enough, just like how one conversation and a drink had made him a friend in the first place. 


	4. [Act 1] Good knight, bad knight

Man, it'd be nice if guards could be a little more gentle when arresting someone, Erik thought. Then again, it probably helped if one wasn't resisting arrest with every step of the way to the castle. The end result was that everything hurt, and he had a feeling that wasn't going to get any better. 

He stretched his legs, then pushed himself into a sitting position. His arms were tied behind his back, but feeling the lack of tension in the cords, probably something he could get out of fairly easily. Not yet, though; if they'd been serious about making him talk, they'd be back soon enough. In the meantime, he had a chance to see what he was working with here. No windows that he could see, only solid stone walls on three sides, opening to a barred wall with an equally barred door, a solid lock built in. Didn't really worry him. Getting out of the cell wasn't as much of a problem as getting out of the dungeon was going to be. If this was the only hallway and exit, things might get tough. Let's see, what else? A bed of matted straw, which wouldn't be the worst thing he'd slept on, especially if it was relatively clean. A chamber pot, thankfully unused. And... that was it, really. Not really much inspiration for a jailbreak, but at the least, they hadn't found all his weapons and tools on him yet. 

Footsteps out in the hallway drew his attention, and he laid back down, trying to look as helpless as possible. Hm... sounded like two people, so he guessed it was whoever was interrogating him and a guard leading the way. "So this is the thief that stole the Red Orb?" A man's voice, probably older than him. 

"Yes, sir, according to the information we received. We don't know where it is though, or whose help he had."

"Thank you. You're dismissed." The door unlocked, and armored boots came to a stop near his face. The man grabbed him by the hair, pulling him into a sitting position. "You're not much to look at. How did a scrawny rat like you manage to steal the Red Orb?"

"Sorry, I'm not fluent in pig." Erik gazed over the man. He wore much fancier armor than the rest, but he looked younger than he expected, a handsome type. Handsome until you got to the sickening look in his eyes. 

"Ah, the feisty type." The man took Erik's chin in his armored hand, squeezing just hard enough to hurt. "I don't suppose you want to talk, do you? Who helped you?"

He was playing with fire, he knew it, but to heck if he was going to give up Derk or tell this guy a single thing. "Man, I'm impressed. Up close, you almost look like a real person and _not_ a sack of crap. I almost couldn't tell."

"Mm, I thought so." He let Erik's chin go, but kept his other hand firstly grasping Erik's hair. Erik heard the crackle, caught the smell of lightning, but still had no time to react as the man called black lightning to his hand, then slammed it into Erik's stomach.

A scream escaped him as his world became fire and pain, everything feeling as if it'd been forcefully torn apart by wolves. The man let go of his hair, and he fell onto his side, struggling to breathe. Heck, but that was bad. He might not actually survive if this guy kept doing that. "How about now?" the man asked pleasantly, pushing aside a lock of Erik's hair in a mockery of a compassionate gesture. "Where is the Red Orb?"

Erik clamped down on the fearful voice gibbering for mercy inside his head. "I... got nothing to say to you. Go rot."

"You're going to be fun, aren't you?" He pulled black lightning to his hand again, and Erik closed his eyes, trying to will himself into the floor.

The second blast was just as bad at the first, the man drawing it out longer, until even his hair and teeth felt like they were made of lightning. Finally, he let it go, and Erik sagged against the floor, tasting blood. Where was it coming from, was he bleeding on the inside somewhere or had he just bitten his tongue and he was in too much pain everywhere to be able to tell? "I wonder how much more you can actually survive?" the man commented calmly. "Who helped you?"

The only thing that might hurt more than him right now was the thought of Derk being put through this, Derk who was about as tough as a piece of paper. Erik got out the worst curse he could think of, which wasn't saying much considering his brain felt as fried as everything else. The man didn't respond to the vulgarity, drawing yet more lightning. 

But instead of hitting him again, the man abruptly let the energy fade, and after a moment, Erik heard the reason why--more steps in the hallway. "Jasper!" another man's voice called. "They caught the thief?"

He let out a short sigh of disappointment, but stood. "So it seems, but he refuses to tell me anything."

"He doesn't look like he's in much condition to tell you anything," the newcomer said. 

Great, so this must be Captain Obvious. "Fought every step of the way here, so I hear. They must have to had to get a bit rough with him."

"Even so, this is excessive." Finally, the new guy stepped into view, though all Erik could really make out was a mass of black armor. "I'll take care of him. Leave this to me."

"I can manage without you just fine, Hendrik. He's only one thief. Hardly worth the attention of a general."

"His Majesty also wished to speak to you," Hendrik continued. "It would be best not to keep him waiting."

"Well, if His Majesty is calling, I suppose I must," Jasper said, standing up. "I'll leave him to you, Hendrik. I hope you have more success than I did."

Thank the stars, the footsteps belonging to Jasper were leaving, were out the door and into the hallway. Now he could lay in pain in relative peace. The black armor moved closer, and then a hand touched his shoulder. This time, he caught the tingle of magic, and managed to swing his legs around, kicking at him. "Keep your hands off me," he snarled. To heck if he wasn't going to go down fighting. 

"You're injured," the man said calmly, unmoved by the kicks. "You need treatment, so please hold still."

"Like I'm going to listen to a word you say," Erik tried to squirm away as Hendrik grasped his shoulder with an iron grip. 

Hendrik sighed, then pushed Erik to the ground onto his stomach, casting his magic again. Erik kicked his legs again, but he may as well have been trying to move a horse. The pain was slowly fading--huh, so this guy actually was healing him? Must be trying to get on his good side. Finally, Hendrik released him, untying the rope. "Do you still have any pain anywhere?"

"I got nothing to say to you, either."

"I understand you're suspicious of me, but we're not out to harm you." Erik rolled his eyes in response. "Can you at least give me your name? Or am I to call you 'you' the entire time?"

"Does it matter if I give you my name? You'll call me whatever you want."

"I'd prefer to call you by name."

"Too bad for you, then." He knew how this worked. A name could be traced. Without it, he was just another nameless citizen of Downtown--it'd be impossible for him to trace him back to Derk or the Red Orb. Finally, he sat up, getting a good look at this Hendrik. A massive man in black armor. Everything about this guy screamed 'villain', right down to his little goatee. At least this one wasn't electrocuting him yet.

"Look, I don't want to hurt you. If you'll tell us where the Red Orb is, I'm sure we can reduce your sentence."

"Oh, how generous of you. You must be the good knight."

Hendrik looked confused at that for a moment, almost like he hadn't heard of the concept of 'good knight, bad knight' before. How naive did this guy think Erik was? "You're very young. You don't deserve to spend the rest of your life in prison here. Let us help you."

"Are we done here? If so, I'd like to get comfortable in my new home."

Hendrik sighed, but finally seemed to accept that he was going to get nowhere. "All right. If you're still injured, please let one of the guards know. We'll speak again once you've rested."

"Don't hold your breath." Erik stayed put until Hendrik had left, locking the cell behind him. Once he was alone, he flopped onto the straw mat, closing his eyes. Home sweet home, at least for a while. He had no intention of staying any longer than it took him to break out, but in the meantime, at least this place was dry and warm. And even though that knight had healed the injuries the other knight had given him, he still felt exhausted by them. A nap, then, and later he'd figure out how to get out of here.


	5. [Act 1] The ruins of a home

So, there had once been a village here, Erik thought. And he could still see signs of it in the broken stone and the burning posts, scraps of cloth and smashed food. Shocking wasn't really the word for it. Sickening, more like, that people could have done this. And yet, as numbed as he felt about it, it had to be nothing compared to what its sole survivor was feeling.

He'd cried, of course. And then he'd become frantic, combing over the ruins for any signs of life, anything that might've survived. Erik helped, quietly looking for signs of a mass grave, of bodies. Even the animals were gone, run off or possibly dead as well. Nothing--no living people, no dead bodies. Erik could think of a few reasons why--they might've hauled the bodies off, dumped them somewhere they couldn't easily see, or burned the bodies so thoroughly that not even the bones remained. Or they could still be alive. 

Should he say that? He looked over at the younger man. After a day of running around, desperately looking for some scrap of his old life, Junichi had pretty much shut down. Erik had found a storehouse in a cave behind the waterfall that had somehow missed the attention of the soldiers, and set up a small fire. Once he'd gotten Junichi in there, he'd fallen asleep on the spot. No, he thought, he couldn't do that. It might give him hope, but it was probably a false hope. And that might be crueler than just letting him be. After all, Erik knew what it was like to be led on by a false hope. There was no way the Seer's prophecy would be right, and yet, here he was.

Still, he didn't think he could leave the kid, not like this. Even a hero of legend was still human, right? Having all the people you cared about ripped away from you did things to a person. And he didn't know exactly what the Luminary was supposed to do, but he doubted it would happen if the hero decided to just give up now. And if he had any hope of the Seer's prophecy giving him what he wanted, he needed this kid on the hero path.

Erik sighed. That was the part of him he hated, the cynical side that was so easy to give up on people. It wasn't unwarranted--people had let him down so many times. But sometimes they didn't, like Derk, and he wanted to think maybe the Luminary was like that, too. He wanted to believe in that prophecy, but just as much, he wanted to believe in Junichi, that kid whose face couldn't hide anything, who so desperately needed someone else to hold onto right now. 

So he was babysitting, now what? Erik laid back and stared up at the rock ceiling, trying to figure out their next move. They couldn't stay here, obviously. There was nothing left here but continuing pain, and even if there was something here, it wasn't safe to stay. Heliodor already knew their so-called Darkspawn had flown the coop; they'd naturally figure he'd come back home. Could he convince Junichi to leave somehow?

Right, the Red Orb. Derk had said it was being stored in the Kingsbarrow near here. Erik wanted it back. It belonged to _him_. And that aside, he liked the idea of getting a little petty revenge on this lousy king and his pack of animals. Maybe Junichi would be up for the idea of a little revenge as well. It wouldn't bring back the dead, but it was one small bit of fighting back. After that... he didn't know. Maybe they could get across the sea, lose themselves in one of the big cities. It didn't sound very heroic, but it wasn't like he knew what a hero was supposed to do, and it seemed like Junichi didn't, either. If the world wanted its legendary hero, it could go give _him_ a prophecy instead.

Well, that was settled, then. Tomorrow, he'd see if he could get Junichi moving in the direction of Kingsbarrow. After that... well, something would turn up, right? That was how fate and the stars and everything was supposed to work. In the meantime, he needed to try and get some sleep, and hope the soldiers weren't that close to the village.

* * *

When he woke, the fire was down to a smolder, and Junichi was gone, nowhere in sight of the cave. Erik felt himself break out into a cold sweat. Surely he'd just gone to pee or something. Surely the soldiers weren't already here, hadn't found him when he'd ventured out for whatever reason. He hastily kicked apart the embers before heading outside. Not by the entrance, not by the waterfall, not by the river... wait, there. Junichi was standing by the tree with the big root wound around it, the one he'd spaced out on and seen another of his visions with. "There you are," he said, trying not to feel irritated as his worry gave way to relief. "Don't wander off on your own. There could be soldiers about."

He didn't respond, but he could see the angle of Junichi's shoulders, the same defeated slump from yesterday. "Erik," he said, his back still turned, his voice quiet. "It... wasn't a dream, was it? It really happened."

"... Yeah." He wanted to say more, but nothing would come to him. _Don't break, hero. People still need you. And I don't know how to put you together again if you fall apart._ "It happened, but... You're still alive. And you gotta think about how to stay alive, now. We need to keep moving."

"Erik, I... I don't think I can do this."

"You don't have to. All you have to do right now is keep on living. Okay?"

"But... what if someone else dies because of me? What if you die?"

"They didn't die because of you, Junichi. They died because a bad man murdered them." Erik put a hand on Junichi's shoulder. "Look, I know it might not feel like it right now, but you're the Luminary. You've got the power to stand up to bad people like him. Somewhere out there, there's someone that's going to need your help. So let's get out of here and go find them, all right? Besides, if I can jump off a cliff into a waterfall and end up downstream without a scratch on me, I think I'll be okay."

Junichi turned to face him, and there was a small light back in his eyes. "The waterfall... We need to go to the waterfall." He turned away.

"Huh? Hey, wait," Erik grabbed for his arm. "We can't go back to Heliodor, it's too dangerous. What waterfall are you talking about?"

"The one with the three-sided rock. He said he'd leave something there for me."

"Who did?"

Junichi paused, seeming to realize this story was only making sense to one of them. "When I touched that root, I saw one of those visions, but... this time they could see me. I spoke with my grandfather. He said he'd leave some things for me at the rock by the waterfall where he used to fish. We need to go there."

"All right." It wasn't the direction he'd anticipated, but at least Junichi was up and motivated again. "Let's grab our things and go there, then."

The waterfall Junichi had mentioned was a short walk away, not far enough for him to be comfortable, but it was better than being inside the village. He watched, keeping an eye out for soldiers as Junichi dug in the soft soil by the rock, unearthing a small box. Erik wasn't sure what he expected, but the contents didn't seem like much: a softly glowing stone and a couple of old letters. But they clearly meant something to Junichi as he read first one, then then other. He cried, again, but this time it was different, Erik thought. This wasn't despair, but more like a release, like closure. "Erik," he said at last. "Have you ever heard of Dundrasil?"

"Huh?" He scoured his memory. "Wasn't that some kingdom that got destroyed years and years ago?"

"Erik, I... I'm from that kingdom. I was born the prince of Dundrasil."

"Say what?" A legendary hero he could believe, but also a long-lost prince? "Is that even possible?"

"I don't know, but... this letter is from the Queen of Dundrasil. My birth mother." He held it out to Erik.

He looked at it. Sure enough, the battered envelope had Junichi's name in a flowing script. "Are you sure you want me to see this?"

Junichi nodded, and Erik took it slowly, scanning the pages. What the heck. He thought it must be a hoax or a cruel prank, but seeing the heartfelt words in a shaking handwriting, written by a woman who must've seen her own death coming... he didn't think he could doubt it. "She really wanted you to live."

"Yeah. She did." Junichi accepted the letter back, tucking them both into his bag carefully. "My grandfather's letter says this rock is called a Keystone. It opens a place called the Door of Departure that's on the cape."

"The cape, huh." Erik mapped it out in his mind. "Great, that's on the way to the Kingsbarrow. We can stop by there on our way."

"The Kingsbarrow?" 

"Did you forget? That's where the Red Orb is." Erik grinned. "What say we go mess up his pretty little crypt and make off with the goods, partner?"

He managed the barest of smiles, but more importantly, his eyes were clear. Now he had a goal, even a short one, that he could focus on. For now, that was enough. "Okay. Let's do it."


	6. [Act 1] Second place finishers

"So that's the Rainbough," Jade said, tipping up her mask to get a better look. "Pretty impressive looking. I can believe that has some tie to Yggdrasil."

Ned to her, Rab nodded, adjusting his own long-nosed mask. "It certainly has a mysterious power about it, aye? It might be useful in our search. Or it might be useful in our fight." Rab was willing to bet more on the latter than the former. If they could figure out how to tap into Yggdrasil's power, even a little, it would be immense in their fight against Mordegon. Of course, the best way to tap into Yggdrasil's power was the Luminary, but... _Best not to think of that right now_. 

Jade put her mask back down, then offered Rab a hand. "Shall we go meet who we have to wipe the floors with to get it?" she asked with a smile.

"Admit it, yer going to enjoy this. I might just step back and let you handle all the fighting."

She smiled. "We'll have to be paired together first. Isn't it random draws?"

"Aye. But I'll nae be having ye saddled with some weakling."

She considered. "Fair enough. I don't want to be paired up with a weakling, either." 

He smiled as she pushed open the door, and they entered the waiting room. Some of them looked up as they entered, sizing the pair of them up. Fair, since he was doing the same to them. And truth be told, he didn't think any of them could hold a candle to Jade. Oh, sure, most of them looked like they at least knew which end of the sword went into the opponent, but only a couple carried themselves with any sort of confidence, the kind that came from real combat. They were showmen. Which was fine enough normally, but Rab and Jade had come to win.

The staff ushered them out, parading them in front of the cheering crowds. Rab tuned them out, hands tucked behind his back, for all the world an unassuming old man. The first number to be drawn was eleven, a young man--a boy, really--who barely seemed aware of the crowds. Not a showman, then. But he didn't look particularly strong or confident, either. And then Jade's number was drawn. Well, that wouldn't do. 

Jade didn't seem bothered by the pairing, offering him a handshake. "Charmed, I'm sure."

"Hold up," Rab said to the announcer. "I'll nae be having this young lass paired with a hooligan like him."

"But, sir, the numbers--"

Rab pulled him in close. "Lad, just go talk to the officiator and let him know Rab would like to have that arrangement made. He'll do it, ye'll see."

The poor announcer looked flustered, and Rab felt a bit sorry for him as he scampered off to talk with the officiator. But rigging the number draw would've been too difficult, so this was the easier, if perhaps less popular, way. He returned a short while later, announcing Rab's pairing to Jade, which got a fair amount of boos. "You didn't have to do that," Jade said in a low tone as she crouched next to Rab.

"I told ye I wasnae leaving ye with no weakling."

"Hm, I don't know, he had a nice handshake. And he seems pretty cute," she added with a smile. "I wonder what he looks like under that mask?"

"Maybe ye can knock it off him and find out," he said with a chuckle. "Assuming he makes it that far."

As they watched, Eleven's new pairing was drawn, this time to a young man named Vince Vanquish--one of the showmen. "He just might," Jade said to him. "That's last year's champion, from what I heard."

"Mm." Rab watched Vince carefully. There was something about that boy that just didn't smell right. 

Jade lowered her voice. "Since you've called in your favor, I assume that means we're going to take on the mayor's request, then."

"Mm-hmm." When he'd gone for his chat with the mayor, he'd heard about the case of people going missing. They'd all been entrants to the tournament, so the suspicion was that someone was trying to off the competition. Who went missing and when should yield more clues, he thought, if more did. At the least, they hadn't found bodies, so it wasn't a case of murder, yet. "Let's see how this first round plays out."

* * *

They met again in their hotel room that evening, ready to compare notes. "So here's the list of entrants," Rab said, unrolling some pages. "Here's the ones that have gone missing so far. Let's see, here's the pair we fought," he pointed to the two numbers. "What did you think of them?"

"Unremarkable," she said. "That martial artist fought like he's from Angri-La, but he clearly quit his training too soon. The blue-haired guy wasn't too bad, and he did have some sneaky tricks, though. I think we can rule out the Angri-La kid. He doesn't seem to be working with anyone else in the running, and I don't think he's strong enough by himself to overtake that many other fighters."

"And blue-hair?"

"Seems to be working with a couple of other fighters," she pointed to a couple of other numbers. "I spotted them all talking to each other after they lost to us. A couple others that aren't in the tournament, either."

Rab made a note. "Interesting. Think they're trying to rig the tournament in favor of one or the other?"

"Well, considering we stomped one of them, I'd say probably not. Whether they're all a bunch of fighting junkies or just trying to get a better shot at one of the prizes, I'm not sure."

"So what about this one, then?" he pointed to one of the numbers she'd indicated. "Think we'll run against him?"

"Looking at the bracket, it'll likely be either him or Eleven, there. This guy...." She tapped the paper. "Calls himself the Silver Sylva or something like that. Forget being a showboat, this guy's a show _fleet_."

Rab snorted at that description. "Think he's taking out the competition?"

"I doubt it. I think he wants to make it to the finals just so he can parade in front of the crowd."

"Mm. And what are yer thoughts on Eleven?" Rab regarded the paper. "That's the one ye almost got paired with, aye?"

"The hooligan?" Jade giggled, but then her expression grew serious. "I figured he'd be riding the coattails of that champion, but he held his own. He might actually be better than the champion. Where'd this guy come from?"

d"Who knows? The registrant dinnae even have his name. Nae that it's required--practically everyone is registered under some sort of stage name. But he didnae give one at all."

"So what's he hiding, then?" Jade chewed at her thumbnail. "Think this kid might be the one, then?"

"I dinnae think we can remove him from the suspect list as easily as the others, nae. What about his partner, the champion?"

She shrugged. "He was all right. I could still take him, but I can see how he became the champion. He's focused on the win. You didn't seem to like him, though."

"He didnae... smell right." Rab shook his head. "Almost like he's got the scent of rot clinging to him. Well, if we're keeping an eye on Eleven, what about the other members of his party?"

"I didn't see anything suspicious, but we can keep an eye on them. I did notice that Eleven went to the orphanage afterwards."

"The orphanage?"

"Down in the lower levels. That's where the champion lives. I suppose he went to see his new partner."

"Do these two know each other, do ye think?"

"Don't know. We don't know how long he's been in town, either." She folded her arms. "If I'd known we were going to be investigating crimes, I would've said we should've shown up earlier. Well, did you find out anything interesting?"

"Seems all our missing persons were last seen in the lower levels. But there's a lot down there, so that's nae saying much." Rab rolled up the papers. "Well, we have a few possibilities identified, so we'll see what tomorrow brings."

Jade flopped onto her bed, letting her legs dangle off the end. "Say, did you see that big statue over the arena entrance?"

"I did. A wee bit intimidating, aye? It looks familiar."

She giggled. "You don't recognize it? That's Hendrik."

"Hendrik? Yer general of the army?" Now that she said it, he could see the resemblance. "Why would they put a statue of him up?"

"He went clearing out a big bunch of monsters some years back, so that's why, I guess. I wonder if he knows it's here. He'd be so embarrassed if he knew."

Rab sat down on the other bed, looking at her. She could have gone home. But the more they'd learned about Mordegon, the more certain they were that he had some hold in Heliodor they didn't know the specifics of. For now, the risk wasn't worth the reward. "Shall we turn in for the night, lass?"

"All right. We'll see what happens tomorrow, then."

* * *

Three people vanished the previous night, but not the ones Rab was expecting. The field remained the same. "So we're missing that Angri-La guy, and those two beefy ones, the Abominable Showman and whatever the other guy was," Jade said, looking over Rab's shoulder at his notes. "That's odd, isn't it?"

"Aye. If someone was trying to get a leg up in the tournament, ye'd think they'd go after the ones still in the running, aye?" 

"So then it seems like they aren't trying to get a leg up." Jade leaned back, crossing her arms. "But then why kidnap people? What are they getting out of it?"

"I cannae answer that yet, lass." Rab tucked his notes away. "It could be that our culprit isn't among the field. But on the other hand, those still in the running might be able to take out three fighters in one night. Let's go see how the other match is going."

"That'd be the showboats versus Eleven and the champion," Jade said. "They should be starting soon. Whoever wins, that's who we'll go up against, so it wouldn't hurt to see how they handle themselves."

He nodded, following her out to the audience seating of the arena. As fighters themselves, they had reserved seating fairly up close, which was a nice thoughtful touch. "Don't stare or anything," Jade said as she sat down, "but the rest of their group is to our right. The blue-haired boy and those girls."

Rab glanced at them from the corner of his eye. The three of them had their attention on the ring below, talking low enough that Rab couldn't make out what they were saying. The boy and the one girl seemed a little younger than Jade, not particularly remarkable looking, and the third person appeared to be a child of eight or nine, he guessed. 

The champion and Eleven came out first, the former waving to the crowd. Rab squinted at the latter. He was looking around at the crowd, offering a little wave as he spotted his companions in the stands, but other than that didn't seem interested in showing off. And then their opponents arrived, descending from the top of the arena like a flock of birds, delivering a dramatic opening speech in perfect sync. "Ye wasnae kidding, lass," Rab muttered. "They're a show fleet, all right."

"Told you. But the crowd loves them," Jade said, nodding to the cheering stands around them. 

"Ye saw their first match, right?" Rab sat back. "Who's yer money on?"

She considered, putting a hand to her chin. "I have to give the edge to the champion's team. I think that blond boy is the weak link here. Silver didn't seem too shabby with a sword, but he's up against two decent fighters."

Rab leaned forward again as the champion pulled a flask out of his pocket, drinking its contents. "What's he doing?" 

"Attempting a drunken fist style?" Jade shrugged.

He frowned, but said nothing further as the match began. Jade, it turned out, had the right of it--the blond kid just couldn't keep up with the rest of the group, and the champion's team took advantage of this by focusing on him first. "When we fight in the finals, I think you're going to have to step in," Jade said. "I might have to go all out against that Eleven kid."

"Yer leaving me the champion, then?"

She nodded. "He's decent, sure, but that kid's the real threat."

That worried him. "Lass, let's try a different tack tonight. I want to go take a look at that champion's place."

"The orphanage?"

"Yes. More specifically, let's see if we can get a glance at his private belongings without being seen," Rab said. "If he has a secret, I doubt he's going to just up and show it to us."

Jade looked at him. "What, you think he's our number one suspect, then?"

"I don't know if it's related to the disappearances, but... something about him's got me a fair bit suspicious." Rab kept his eyes on the pair as they filtered out. Eleven popped up a short bit later to reconnect with the rest of his group, talking among themselves cheerily. At least Silver Sylva seemed to be taking the loss in stride, his arm thrown around the younger man's neck as he talked. Why were they in this tournament, seemingly together? Was it just a prize they could sell for money, or....

Jade nudged him out of his thoughts, silently gesturing toward another exit. The champion was exiting, heading back toward the lower levels. Jade hopped away, landing on a nearby rooftop, calmly watching from a distance as he made his way down. Rab, who was completely unwilling to go clambering across rooftops, waited in the streets, watching the crowds mill about.

And then he spotted the boy, Eleven, walking down the stairs to the lower levels. Meeting up again in the orphanage, hm? This could work to their advantage. "Looks like he's just gone straight home," Jade said. "How do you want to do this?"

Rab pointed. "Our friend Eleven's on his way over there now. Shall we see if we can slip in while they visit?"

"Sounds good." 

Eleven had entered by the time they arrived outside the orphanage. "I hear their voices," Jade said. "Let's try the other end of the building."

"Aye, it seems like the bedrooms are over on that end," Rab said after scrutinizing the windows. "If ye would, lass."

She pulled him onto her back, then leapt up to the roof of the nearby building like it was nothing. None of the windows had curtains, a convenient thing for seeing which ones were occupied and which ones might belong to a champion. The one at the far end seemed most like an adult's room, so Rab steered Jade to that one. It didn't even take much magic to crack open the window, letting them slip inside. 

This was most likely the champion's room, Rab thought in satisfaction as they looked around. The bed was much larger than the other rooms, large enough for his big frame, and the clothing in the wardrobe matched what he normally wore. It was clothing that had seen some use, Rab thought, looking at where it had been sewn and patched. To be fair, everything in the room looked old and worn-down--the furniture was chipped and scratched all over, repaired in some places, the single rug on the floor threadbare. Even the walls were patched and shorn up to fill in the gaps between the stone. The champion might be a good fighter, but he clearly didn't have money.

He could smell it here, too, the smell of something awful, faint as it was. Rab closed his eyes, trying to find the source. Investigating the cracks along the wall, he found one loose stone, and pulled it out. Several vials, like the one he'd seen in the arena, rested behind, all filled with a vile-looking green liquid. "What is that?" Jade whispered?"

"Trouble, lass." Rab pulled off the top, carefully letting the odor waft out. It was the same smell, that of rot and monsters.

"What's it do?"

"Not sure yet. But it's dangerous." Rab carefully capped it again. "Let's do some more investigatin' outside."

Jade looked up suddenly, alert. "We're leaving," she said, grabbing him in a swift motion. With one leap, she was out the window, heedless of anything that got knocked over in her wake.

"Jade, lass, what--"

"They were coming," she said as she dropped down behind a building, letting him go. "I heard them in the hall. They might have heard us. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Rab looked down at the vial, still in his hands. The champion would know now that someone knew his secret. And he didn't fully know what that secret was. "I think we might have to revise who our number one suspect is."

Jade looked over her shoulder, checking to see if anyone was coming. "Think Eleven's in on this, too?"

"He might be. We'd best watch ourselves in tomorrow's fight."

* * *

Rab had stayed up late trying to figure out what was in the vial they'd stolen from Vince, and his best guess had been that it was some sort of enhancement potion, one that let you move faster and hit harder. That made Jade worried for him in their fight--what if she'd misjudged him and he was stronger than she thought? But the instant Eleven came for her, she knew she wasn't going to have any room to aid Rab. For once, she switched into a defensive stance, letting him be the aggressor as she felt out his blows and his defense. This kid was _good_ , his swordsmanship solid and backed up by speed and more muscle than she would've thought. She thought he might've reached his limit when he fought against Sylva, but it seemed like he still had hidden depths she hadn't known about.

But that was fine by her. She hadn't been going all out against any of their opponents, either. In a way, it was freeing to go after this kid with everything she had, not having to hold back. She lost herself, forgetting about Rab and Vince, focused on one opponent and one opponent only. She felt herself wearing down, but he was getting tired too, and with a well-placed kick, she finally discarded the shield he had, sending it skittering across the ground. There. Time to press her advantage. She rushed in, aiming another kick at his chest. Without his shield, he could only block with his arm, raising it defensively. 

She saw it. She saw it, and her world came to a stop. The thing she'd always searched for on passerbys and acquaintances, the one sure sign of the identity of the person she'd looked for for almost two decades. The mark of the Luminary, which was seared into the left hand of the man standing in front of her.

 _Junichi_?

Something slammed into her from behind, knocking her to the ground. Oh, right, Vince, the other guy in this match. She'd almost forgotten they were in a match. Did the match even matter right now? She'd found him. Who cared about some prize?

Hands helped lift her up, the arena staff aiding her back to her feet. Rab. She had to tell Rab. She shook off their hands, looking around. He was nearby, laying on the ground, slowly pulling himself together. "Uncle Rab," she said, going to him, helping him up. "Did you... did you see?"

He shook his head, trying to clear it, seeming to only be half-aware he'd been asked a question. Jade looked back up at their opponents. Vince was waving to the crowd again, celebrating, but Eleven was looking right at her, at Rab, with concern. Then they were ushered away from the arena, clearing it to make way for the new champions of Octagonia.

"Let me be," Rab muttered to the assistants guiding him down the stairs. "I can walk just fine."

"Take it easy, Uncle Rab," Jade said to him, kneeling next to him once they were in the waiting room. "Are you okay?"

"More embarrassed than anything," he said, rubbing at his head. "I let my guard down. Are ye all right, lass?"

"You did see it, didn't you? The Mark."

He put a hand on her shoulder. "I was wondering why ye'd stopped all of a sudden, so I took a look. I... did see it. Plain as day, it was."

"Uncle Rab... he's alive." She pressed the heel of her hand against her face, trying to stop the tears she could already feel forming. "He's alive, and he's here. We... we finally found him." She let out a soft laugh. "And to think you called him a hooligan!"

Rab let out a soft sigh, putting a hand on her arm. "Let's nae rush into anything, now."

"But it's him. I saw the Mark. I _know_ it's him."

"Yes, lass, but we dinnae know anything about how he's grown up all this time or why he's here. We dinnae even know what name he's using."

"Of all the places to run into him." She paused, straightening up. "The Rainbough. Do you think he came here for it?"

"It's... a possibility. But we also dinnae know what he's been doing with that champion. They might be working together." Rab sat down in a chair, Jade pulling up one next to him. "Let's... strike two monsters with one blow. We still have this kidnapper to deal with. Let's set a trap of our own." He looked up at her. "Are ye willing to be bait?"

She wiped at her face. "What do you want me to do?" 

"Go down to the orphanage by yerself. Say ye want to congratulate him on his win. Let him catch ye. I'll tell Eleven and his friends that ye've gone missing and ask for their help."

"Hm. You don't think his friends are in on it?"

"When Eleven's gone down there, he's gone down alone. If they're involved, it's nae directly. It is taking a risk to have them along, but if they're nae kidnappers, it'll be good to have some extra hands."

"But if they are?"

"Then we'll have to take care of them all." He sighed. "But let's hope it doesnae come to that." Rab touched his staff to her forehead, a few sparkles of magic coming down. "This'll help protect ye from any poisons or drugs he might try to use on ye. Well, lass, are ye willing to try this? It'll be dangerous, nae doubt."

She smiled. "I think I can handle it." Her eyes lingered on Rab's face. "But after this... we can tell him, right? Talk to him? Please, Uncle Rab."

He touched a hand to her shoulder, closing his eyes. "If he's nae a danger, then yes. I imagine we'll have a lot to say."

* * *

In his heart, Rab had given up on ever finding Junichi alive again years ago. That he had reappeared here, when they were trying to obtain a power of Yggdrasil, felt more like a trap than any coincidence or blessing. He just couldn't bring himself to believe the way that Jade did. It fell to him to protect her from any trick of Mordegon this might be. So he steeled his heart and knocked on Eleven's door.

"Yes?" It was him that opened the door, and without the mask, Rab could see it so well, the features that reminded him of Eleanor and Irwin. "Oh... It's Mr. Rab, isn't it? Are your wounds all right now?"

"Aye, ye've no need to worry about me. If ye don't mind, could I talk to ye and yer friends for a moment?"

He looked over his shoulder--Rab guessed the others were there as well, all in the same room. "Yes, that's fine. Is something the matter?" He stepped aside so Rab could enter.

The other four were seated on the two beds in the room, likely having some conversation before he'd come calling. "It's Jade. She's gone missing."

"Wasn't that your partner?" the woman spoke up, frowning. "Oh, no, that's awful. Was it the kidnapper?"

"Ye've heard about that, then?" Rab nodded. "I dinnae want to jump to conclusions, but she should have been back by now."

"Where'd you last see her?" the blue-haired boy asked, his brows knitting up in concern. Rab felt a wee bit bad for the beating Jade had given him.

"She said she was just going down to the orphanage to congratulate yer partner," Rab said to Eleven. 

"Hm. Let's start there, then," Eleven said. "We'll see if she made to Vince or not and start from there. Does that sound all right to you, Mr. Rab?"

He nodded agreement. "Well, let's get going then," the little girl said, hopping off the bed. "Sounds like we've got a kidnapper to catch."

Rab frowned. "Hold on, lass. It'll be dangerous. You stay here."

She fixed him with a withering glare. "If you treat me like a little girl while I am trying to help you, I will set you on fire, old man."

"Don't worry about Veronica," Eleven said to Rab. "She can take care of herself. Let's hurry down there."

He thought if he said anything further, the girl might actually try and set him on fire, so Rab let it drop, walking with the group down to the orphanage. Neither Jade nor the champion were there, only some panicked kids looking for their Uncle Vince and a hole in the wall they said hadn't been there before. "What is all this mess?" Sylva asked as he swept aside what appeared to be a large cobweb. "Someone needs a good spring cleaning."

"It smells like monsters," the woman said. "Do be careful, everyone."

He had to agree. It was the same smell he got from the vial they'd stolen from Vince, which seemed to only confirm their thoughts that he was involved. Now to see what Eleven did about it. If he knew anything about this cave, he was keeping it to himself, his body language the same cautious alertness as the rest of the group.

"Hey," Erik said to the rest of the group, interrupting his thoughts. "I hear voices. This way."

"Let's hurry," Eleven agreed.

Ahead of them, the cavern opened up, and Rab caught Jade's voice. She had her spear out, confronting Vince, and behind her, a massive spider, clattering its fangs. "What the heck?" the blue-haired boy said, looking around.

"Looks like Hendrik must've missed one when he cleared out all those monsters some years back," Jade said. "And this guy's been helping it."

Rab watched Eleven out of the corner of his eye. The boy was watching Vince, his expression confused. Time to give a little push and see what happened. "We had a wee look around yer room while ye were out, laddie." He produced the vial. "This is what ye've been drinking before yer fights, isnae it? What yer spider friend has been squeezing from the fighters ye kidnap?"

"That... was you?" No denial. He had to know there was no point.

"Vince?" Eleven's voice was soft.

The champion couldn't look him in the eyes. "I couldn't keep winnin' forever. But if I wasn't winnin', those kids wouldn't be able to eat. Those kids are my family. I'd do anything for them. Even if it means sellin' my soul to a monster."

Rab saw Eleven's shoulders slump, his head lower. So he hadn't known. Rab supposed, then, it was just that he'd made friends with a man who turned out to be capable of awful things. Even in this sort of situation, Rab still couldn't help but feel relieved that this boy, this child who was the flesh and blood of his daughter and son in law, hadn't been involved in feeding a monster after all. "Sssseems like they're onto you, boy," the spider hissed out from behind him. "If they tell, it endssss here."

"Yeah. I know." Vince squared his shoulders. "Sorry, partner. But I can't let you and your friends leave here."

"Vince, no." Eleven shook his head. "I don't want to fight you."

"Yeah, well, I didn't want to have to fight you, either. Why'd you have to come down here? Why couldn't you leave well enough alone?" Vince shifted into a fighting stance. Eleven didn't move, rooted to the spot, and Rab thought he might have to step in. But the first attack never came. Vince grabbed at his chest, dropping to one knee. "Argh... Not now...!"

"Vince!" Eleven said in alarm.

Rab sighed. He couldn't help but feel pity for the lad, who had been trapped by a desire for power that came not from greed, but desperation. "Ach, laddie, cannae ye see what that stuff's doing to you? It was never meant for human consumption. It's been eating ye from the inside out. It's a miracle ye're still alive."

Vince let out a sad chuckle. "I guess... cheaters never prosper, huh?" And then he dropped to the ground.

"Vince!" Eleven ran to the other man, putting a hand on his chest, casting a healing spell. "Vince, hang in there."

"Sssso he's sssspent already, issss he?" the spider hissed, then laughed, a 'shishishi' sound that echoed around the cavern. "I ssssuppose I'll just have to deal with you insssstead."

Eleven's other hand clenched at the dirt, a soft glow lighting it. "Mr. Rab," he said as he stood, turning to face the spider. "Can you and Jade take care of Vince and the other fighters?"

Jade nodded agreement. "That we can, lad," Rab said. "What are ye going to do?"

He drew his sword. "We're going to finish this thing off."

"Now you're talking, honey," Sylva said, snapping his whip taut. "Let's teach this jerk a lesson!"

The others nodded, drawing their weapons. Eleven moved against the spider first, the other two men following, the two girls casting magic from the back. Rab did have to acknowledge that the wee one could hold her own, as he saw her fireball land square in the spider's face. Right, first things first. Rab sat down next to Vince, calling on some healing magic. He didn't look like he was in quite as much pain as he had been, so maybe there was hope for his survival. It was likely going to leave him with lasting scars, though.

Jade landed next to him with a fighter on each shoulder, setting them on the ground before she jumped again, aiming at the cocoons strung from the ceiling. They looked weak and anemic, but still alive, Rab thought. Maybe no one would die at the hands of this monster after all. Half a dozen bodies later, Jade landed again with the last of them, struggling under the weight of a massive man. "That's all of them. Do you think they'll be all right?"

"Aye, with some rest and proper nutrition. Seems this monster wanted to string them out for as long as he could."

"And him?" She gestured with her spear toward Vince.

"Even he might pull through. If he does, I don't think he's going to be fighting again, though."

"Serves him right." Jade turned her attention to the fight. 

In the time that he hadn't been paying attention, the spider had lost five of its legs and its mocking grin. In contrast, Eleven and his friends barely seemed hurt or tired at all. "Junichi!" the blue-haired boy called to Eleven as he launched himself off the other's back. Eleven attacked the monster head-on, lashing out with his sword while his friend attacked from behind in the same instant. That was the blow that did it, turning the monster into a foul vapor that slowly dissipated.

By Yggdrasil. Even the name was the same. Rab no longer had any doubt that this was his grandson. His gentle heart and righteous anger, the way he used a sword and how it got stronger among his allies, it spoke to the parents he'd been separated from so shortly after his birth. _Eleanor... Irwin... We found him. We found yer boy. He's alive after all._

Eleven--no, Junichi--put his sword away, turning to the rest of the group. "Is everyone all right?"

"That was a nice workout," Sylva said with a toss of one hand. "Though I suppose the real workout is going to be getting all these poor darlings out of here."

"They should all survive," Jade said. "We got lucky."

Junichi visibly relaxed at that. Next to Rab, Vince stirred, one hand going to his chest. "Dinnae push yerself, lad," Rab told him as he sat up. "Yer not going to be whole again for some time, I think."

He looked over the cavern, seeing nothing but shreds of cobweb. "So... it's over?"

"That it is, lad."

Vince bowed his head. "That's fine. I'll take whatever punishment I got coming. Just... please, don't take it out on those kids. They didn't know nothing about this, I swear. They're going to have a hard enough time of it, so please...."

Rab sighed. He just couldn't bring himself to be mad at the man, who despite his size, didn't seem like he was much older than Junichi. "Ye did a bad thing, no doubt, and ye'll have to confess to that and answer for it. But I cannae fault yer reasons for doing it. I'll have a talk with yer mayor about this orphanage. We'll make sure these kids don't go hungry ever again."

Vince looked up in surprise, and Rab saw it, a tiny bit of hope in his eyes that hadn't been there before. It felt fair, to give that to a man who in a roundabout way had given him his own hope back. "Can ye stand? Let's get back to Octagonia."

* * *

"Uncle Rab, you said we'd talk to him after this was over. You promised."

Rab paused in packing his bag, but only briefly. "Aye, and I mean to. But this isn't the proper place for that conversation. I want him to see Dundrasil for himself. I want him... to see where his parents are resting." 

"I think you're just buying yourself some time."

His hands rested on top of the bag. "We've been searching for a long time, haven't we? It's been eighteen years. Maybe yer right. Maybe I'm not quite ready to have that conversation." He slid the bag onto his back. "Will ye indulge an auld man for just a wee bit longer?"

She crossed her arms, but didn't protest. "How are you going to get him out to Dundrasil if you're not going to talk to him?"

"Oh, I think I have an idea for that." He exited the room, Jade following him to the arena.

The major was already waiting for them there, eagerly shaking his hand as he led them to a side room. "Lord Robert, you've done it. Thank you so much. Everything has been smoothed over on our end and there won't be any damage to the tournament's reputation. To think that it was the Champion who perpetuated all this. But when you told me about those kids down there, I can't help but feel like we failed them. Well, we'll make sure they're taken care of from now on. Oh! I'm sure you wanted to pick up your prize while you're here." The mayor handed over a golden sphere.

The Yellow Orb. One of the treasures of Dundrasil, that had been housed in the vaults since before his grandfather's grandfather's time. But no point in a treasure for a kingdom that was no longer there. Maybe they could sell it. "Aye, thank ye for that," he said as he passed it to Jade to put away. "But I've got a wee proposal for ye as well. How about you give us the Rainbough?"

"The Rainbough? But that's the champion's--"

"Vince has already been paid for it, with our contributions to the orphanage," Rab said. "As for Eleven, I dinnae intend to keep it. I just want him to travel a bit for it. He won't mind." Rab smiled. "Just tell the crowd it's been stolen and give him this letter from me. They'll love the drama."

The mayor seemed to be tempted by the idea of a good twist. "Well... You're sure he won't mind?"

Rab smiled. "He's a good lad, Mayor. When he meets with us, he'll understand."

He hesitated, but Rab could see him wavering, and at last he left the room, returning a short while later with a long object wrapped in cloth. Even with the cloth, Rab could sense the power emanating from it. "I'm going to tell everyone it was stolen from our most securely guarded vault, mind."

"Oh, so ye're giving us a reputation as mastermind thieves," Rab said as he tucked the object into his bag carefully. "I think we can live with that. Thank ye for everything, Mayor. I hope we gave your crowds a lot of spectacle."

"Thank you, Lord Robert. Where are you going to go after this?"

Rab reshouldered his bag, and then gave Jade a nod. "We're just going to go home for a wee bit."


	7. [Act 2]  The fall and rise of Heliodor

He was alive. Somehow, he was alive. The feel of sand, the sound of waves... a shoreline. Hendrik forced his eyes open, pushed protesting muscles to move. Even through the dim lighting, he recognized this place: the Emerald Coast. Through some miracle, he'd ended up close to home. 

Hendrik put a hand to his head, trying to collect his throughts. What exactly had happened? There was the tree, Jasper... and then the Lord of Shadows, emerging from the body of the man he'd sworn allegiance to. A man who lay nearby on the beach, unmoving. "Your Majesty!"

Carnelian shifted as Hendrik knelt by him, his eyes clouded. "Hendrik?" he croaked out. "Did... we make it out of Dundrasil? What word of Irwin?"

"Your Majesty...." He didn't remember? Perhaps that was a blessing. "We are currently on the Emerald Coast. I shall explain everything in due time. Let us return to Heli--" He stopped as he turned in the direction of the city, and beheld what was happening. Dark clouds covered the sky, leaving not a scrap of sun or star, and above the city, he could see streaks of black in the sky, wings that beat the air as they dove. Monsters.

Monsters were attacking his city. 

Next to him, Carnelian got to his feet, staring as well. "What in the world--"

Just like Dundrasil. Just like Zwaardsrust. Hendrik was damned if he'd let it happen right in front of him a third time. "We must return to the city at once, my liege!"

Carnelian followed at a slower pace, his footsteps not yet steady. Hendrik felt his heart sinking. It was too far away, he wouldn't make it in time. _No. Please. Not again._

He wasn't sure who he prayed to, but someone answered: with a whinny and the sound of hoofbeats. Obsidian, his dear Obsidian, tore through the grass, coming to a halt right next to him. The horse let out a softer whinny, shoving his nose against Hendrik's shoulder. "Obsidian," he said in surprise, touching the horse's head. "How did you..." Not important. "Your Majesty, we must ride! To Heliodor!"

Carnelian turned his attention from Heliodor's silhouette, his eyes regaining some focus. With Hendrik's help, he mounted the horse, and Hendrik jumped up behind him, urging Obsidian into an immediate gallop. "Where are they coming from?" Carnelian asked, more to himself than to Hendrik. "Do they mean to destroy us this night as well?" He looked up. "Where... is Yggdrasil?"

"Your Majesty," Hendrik kept his eyes on the road, letting Obsidian pick the path with his sure steps. "I'm afraid some time has passed since the fall of Dundrasil. You have been... not yourself, for many years. And I fear we have little time to expend on a full explanation. Right now, we must focus on Heliodor."

"Yes, of course. You may tell me all that has transpired once the city is secure."

Hendrik didn't respond right away, watching yet more monsters drop from the sky. "Your Majesty, if we cannot secure the city... we must think of the people first. We have to get them to safety."

"To safety? Hendrik, boy, where would they find safety if not in Heliodor?"

"There's... the ruins of a village, in the mountains to the south. The pass in is narrow and would be easily defended."

Carnelian didn't reply as they neared the city gates, but seeing them dangle from their hinges, the bodies of their guards laying nearby, Hendrik suspected he already knew. There was no fortifying Heliodor, not right now. Hendrik drew his greatsword, steered Obsidian into Heliodor, and set about the work of hewing down every monster he saw. Once through the gates, he dismounted, leaving Carnelian on the horse. "Go!" he shouted to some terrified townsfolk, at least one visibly bleeding. "The King will lead you to safety!"

The monsters, noticing his presence, began to come at him, claws bared. For a bit, Hendrik forgot about the aches in his body, the dread over the city's survival. It was just him and the monsters, ever decreasing in number as he swung and swung. The crowd around the king slowly began to grow, people limping forward, helping the injured and elderly, soldiers forming a perimeter as they reached them. It wasn't enough, Hendrik thought as he passed by bodies of those who had already died, but it was something. Now just to get them to--

"Cobblestone!" he realized with a start. The Cobblestone people that Jasper had tried to kill, that Hendrik had insisted they spare, all locked away in a dungeon that likely wouldn't stop a monster. And it was he who had put them there. If they stayed, he would kill them as surely as Jasper had tried to. 

"Cobblestone?" one of the soldiers nearby questioned.

"Protect the King!" he barked out. "Find whatever other survivors you can! There's something I must do." And he ran for the castle. 

Inside lay nothing but bodies and monsters--either the staff had already evacuated, or they'd perished. This must have been the first place to be attacked. Was this Jasper's doing, Hendrik thought. No time to think about that. He made a beeline for the stairs leading down into the dungeons. 

Some guards had survived--the monsters didn't seem to have found the dungeons yet. "S-sir Hendrik?" one questioned as he entered. "What is--"

"Heliodor is under attack," Hendrik replied. "Unlock all the cells, quickly. We must lead them to safety."

"Safety? But they're the Darkspawn's--"

Hendrik slammed a fist against the wall. Darkspawn, nothing but a lie told by a spawn of evil himself. And he'd believed it. "They are _people_. Even if they were murderers, would you leave them to die?"

"N-no, sir," the guard stammered out. "We'll, we'll unlock them now."

Hendrik watched as the guards split up the keys, unlocking the cells quickly, then turned his attention to the door. Bringing an entire village's worth of people, even a small one like Cobblestone, through a monster-infested castle was a tall order. But what other choice did he have? 

A nagging feeling swam at the back of his mind, a half-remembered thought. The Darkspawn--no, the Luminary--and the other boy that had been with him, that had escaped the cells somehow. "That thief, which cell did you have him locked in before he escaped?"

"Uh?" The guard he addressed blinked at the sudden change of topic. "You mean the kid who stole the Red Orb? I think it was this one, sir. Why do you ask?"

Hendrik strode into the open cell, tossing aside the mat that passed for a bed. It covered a hole leading downward. "We can't go back through the castle," he explained to the guards as the villagers began emerging from the cells and gathering. "We'll make our way out through the sewers." He'd patrolled them before, he could find his way out. There were things down there, but it was still safer than the city at the moment. "I'll lead the way. The rest of you, form a protective perimeter. Do not leave a single person in these cells."

"What's going on?" an older man asked. "What are you doing to us now?"

"The city is besieged by monsters," Hendrik explained. "We must get to safety. We are returning to Cobblestone." 

He wasn't sure if they trusted him or not, but the mention of their home seemed to be a goal they could agree on. "Follow me," he said, lowering himself down into the hole. It was a bit of a tight fit, but a few kicks against the bricks solved that problem. At first, there was silence, but then a young woman in a headscarf came through the hole, helping the older man who'd spoken. Once more of them began filtering through, Hendrik looked around, getting his bearings. It wasn't far. Maybe he would be able to at least save them.

His prediction had been correct--the sewers still had the occasional monster, in an unusually frenzied state, but the crumbling walkways were deserted compared to above. They finally emerged outside,and Hendrik felt his shoulders untense just a notch as he spotted Carnelian, still on Obsdian's back, at the center of a group stumbling away from the city. "Come, quickly," he instructed the Cobblestone people. "We will join with the Heliodor survivors and escape. I will not let you die. You have my word." And then the monsters spotted them, and it was a fresh blur of battle. 

Time stretched out, and yet was so slippery Hendrik could not be sure of how long had passed. The group moved slowly, too slowly for his liking, and monsters continued to snap at their heels, requiring a correction with merciless steel. Hendrik circled the group again and again, dispatching any monster he found, encouraging those who faltered. Safety was close, he kept telling them, as much as he was telling himself. Just a little longer, keep going. The monsters continued, tearing at his armor, until it was battered and holed, barely serving any further purpose. Hendrik dropped piece after piece once it no longer functioned, leaving a blood-splattered trail marking his passing.

At last, the narrow pass he remembered. "Those who are able, we must build a barrier!" Carnelian ordered from Obsidian's back. "Fell those trees there! Find some rope! If we have no rope, find vines!"

It really was narrow, Hendrik observed as the final townspeople filtered in. Wide enough for a wagon or a few horses, but narrow enough that a greatsword could hold it. "The rest of you get inside and help build that barrier," Hendrik instructed. "I will guard the pass."

He could hear the noise behind him, of shouts and bangs and crashes, but his eyes and senses were focused in front, on the monsters that still came after them relentlessly, still unafraid even after Hendrik alone had sliced through untold numbers. His concentration stayed in front of him until he finally heard: "It's done, Sir Hendrik, come inside, quickly!"

Bodily throwing back the last of his opponents, he ran through the impromptu door that had been left open for him. Hands slammed the door shut, putting up the bars to keep it closed, and then they paused, listening. On the other side, shrieks and thumps as the monsters threw themselves against it, trying to undo the freshly-done work. Hendrik waited, sword still in hand, watching to see if it would hold. The noises continued, the logs shaking slightly, but holding with each hit. Hendrik continued to watch and wait. So intent was he on watching, he barely noticed as the adrenaline that had fueled him drained from his body, leaving nothing but an unconsciousness that swallowed him slowly and swiftly.

* * *

  
When Hendrik awoke again, everything was quiet, the kind of silence produced not by tension but a simple exhaustion of effort to make noise. His body ached with wounds he didn't remember receiving, but at least it was some assurance he was still alive. Over his head stretched a simple tarp, hemming in the bed he was laying on in a makeshift tent. A single candle illuminated it, not quite reaching all the corners. 

Had they made it? He could hear no noise of violence, which meant there was either none, or it was already over. He slowly swung his legs over to the edge of the bed, ignoring the fresh pain it caused. It hurt, but they still supported his weight when he stood. 

The front of the tent moved and a stout woman entered, eyes widening as she saw him. "Oh, no, no, sir, you lay right back down," she said, trotting over to him and pushing a hand against his chest. "You're in no condition to be moving about, now."

He didn't think he had the strength to push back, and compromised by sitting back on the edge of the bed. "That's better. Now, tuck yourself in and I'll get you something to eat. You must be hungry after sleeping for so long." She stuck her head back outside the tent, calling instructions to someone.

"How long--"

"You've been asleep for two full days, near as I can reckon." She managed a smile. "It's a bit hard to tell time when the sun doesn't come out, but a few people somehow managed to bring clocks with them, bless 'em."

Two full days? Unacceptable. Hendrik started to rise again, but the woman pushed him back down. "We'll be having none of that, sir. You may be a fancy knight and we may owe you our lives, but right now you're a patient and I'm your doctor, so you'll listen to me." The corners of her mouth twitched. "Even though I'm not a real doctor."

Hendrik looked down at himself. Almost all the skin he could see was bandaged up in some way or another, some stained with dried blood. "You've been treating me, madam?"

"Well, we didn't have anyone else at first. We only recently found some folks that know about patching up the body. I learned a bit about healing magic from my father, so...." Her gaze softened. "The thing you need most right now is rest. What you went through would've killed most people."

"Amber?" a young woman's voice came from outside the tent. 

"Ah, thank you, Gemma dear," The woman accepted a bowl from the other person, something that smelled like meat and simple spices. "Here we are. Think you can stomach to eat a bit, sir?"

He did, very much so. He accepted the bowl, taking a spoonful. Some sort of meat stew that was more flavorful than he expected. "How... fare the rest of the townspeople?"

"As well as can be expected, I suppose. There's been some fightin' and a fair amount of tears, but everyone's working together surprisingly well. The soldiers have even been able to sneak into Heliodor to get us supplies. Though it seems we lucked out--not everything in the village was burned. The Spirit of the Land must've been watching over us," she added cheerily.

So she was one of the Cobblestone people. Hendrik vaguely remembered seeing her among the people in the dungeon. "I must apologize. Your people were treated unfairly."

She placed a hand on his head, a motherly gesture, odd from someone that couldn't have been that much older than him. "Don't you worry none about that, sir Hendrik. None of us are blaming you. Why, you were the one that saved us the first time from that horrible knight that burned the village. And you were the one that came back for us. We're all grateful to you. Though, I could spare a stern word or two for that king of yours. Don't tell him I said that," she added sheepishly.

He shook his head, a silent acknowledgement. "He was deceived by the forces of evil. Please don't hold it against him." A deception he probably wasn't even aware of, if he hadn't retained his memories while being controlled by the Lord of Shadows. "...Or tell him that I said that, either."

She chuckled, a soft sound that seemed at odds with their situation. "It's a deal, then. I won't if you won't."

"Where is... his Majesty?"

"Right now? Somewhere nearby," she said with a wave of her hand. "He's been hard at work organizing everything into some semblance of a livable situation. Someone should probably tell him to rest, too," she mused to herself. "Honestly, that's just like you menfolk. You tend to overdo it a bit, don't you?"

"I need to speak to him." Hendrik started to rise again, then thought better of it. "Could you... let him know I am awake?"

"Of course, dear. Let me just take that from you," she held out a hand for the bowl. "Would you like some more? If not, I've some medicine for you to drink. It'll help."

Without realizing it, he'd practically scraped the bowl clean. "It's sufficient for the moment, thank you. I should take care not to overeat while I'm injured."

"Ah, now he understands," she said with another chuckle as she knelt by the single table. Ruffling through a box by its legs, she pulled out what Hendrik assumed were some sort of dried plant, crumbling it into a cup of water. "Here, you drink this all down, now, and lay back down. I'll send for him shortly."

He did as instructed, trying to sort his thoughts as he stared up at the tarp over his head. She had said everything was fine, and he trusted Carnelian to have the situation under control, but that still left so much detail out, leaving him unsure of what the priorities would be when he was well enough to stand. 

Hendrik wasn't even aware that he had fallen asleep until he awoke, some time later. The light level in the tent was the same, the candle a bit lower. Nothing else had changed except for the sound--a low, muffled sound, the sound of someone who was crying and trying to hide it. "Lady Amber?"

She jumped, wiping hastily at her face. "Goodness, you surprised me. If you're feeling better, perhaps you'd like more to eat and drink?"

He pulled himself into a sitting position. "Is... something the matter, Lady Amber?"

"Oh, there's no need to be so formal," she said with a wave of one hand. "'Amber' will do just fine. And I can't have a patient worrying about his doctor, can I?" She busied herself with pouring another glass of water, offering to him.

"Please, Madam Amber," he held his hands over hers, not taking the cup right away. "Right now, I can do nothing to assist anyone else. If I can at least ease your worries a small amount...." He finally accepted the glass, waiting for her answer.

"It's just..." She wiped at her eyes with her apron. "I'm just worried about my son, you know? It is what mothers do, after all."

"Your son?" Hendrik frowned. Surely they hadn't left someone alone in the dungeons. "Was he not with us in our escape?"

"No, it's not... He had left the village some time before that awful knight showed up. I'm sure he's fine," she said with a wave of her hand. "I mean, he may not look it, but he's tough like his grandfather was. It's just... with the world the way it is, I can't help but worry. He would've never let this happen, so...."

'Let this happen'... Realization hit Hendrik like a sword in the gut. "Your son... is the Luminary?"

Amber paused, as if she'd said something she shouldn't have, but then nodded. "He's a good boy, Sir Hendrik. He's no Darkspawn like the King said. He's... he would never hurt anybody, he definitely wouldn't have done this. I know what all you Heliodorians say, but we _know_ him. He's a good boy."

So she was the mother of the Luminary. A man he'd tried to kill on multiple occasions. Hendrik wondered if she would've been so eager to treat his wounds if she knew. He'd been so focused on destroying the Darkspawn, he had never considered what the human costs might've been. "You've... traveled around a lot, haven't you, Sir Hendrik?" Amber spoke suddenly. "I don't suppose... you've heard any news?"

"...I'm sorry." He couldn't meet her eyes. "I know not of his current fate."

"Well... that's to be expected. It is a big world, after all. I just have to keep believing in him. We'll keep the lights here burning until he comes home." She smiled at Hendrik. "Thank you for listening. I do feel a bit better. Let me get you something to eat, if you're up to it?"

He felt like the food, no matter how good, would taste of ashes, but he nodded anyway. Despite that, he managed to put away another bowl of stew and some hardened bread. He'd just set the bowl aside when Amber entered again. "Are you feeling up to a visitor, Sir Hendrik?"

Hopefully, it was who he thought it was. He nodded. She stepped back out, exchanging a few soft words, and then Carnelian stepped inside, his gaze sweeping over Hendrik. "Your Majesty. You appear to be in good health." Hendrik bowed his head from the bed.

"I'm faring a bit better than you in that regard, I suspect," Carnelian said, taking a seat on the small stool in the tent. "But we have your efforts to thank for that. The doctor says you should make a full recovery."

"I plan to be on my feet as soon as possible, sire."

"Excellent. In the meantime...." Carnelian glanced around, as if to assure himself no one else was in the tent. "I suppose it is time we had that conversation we could not earlier. Hendrik... I cannot remember anything beyond the night that Dundrasil fell, but I have gathered that was quite some time ago. What... have I been doing?"

In truth, he didn't really feel up to having this conversation, but oaths of fealty aside, the King had waited long enough. He needed to know. "I do not know the details of how, but... I believe you were possessed by the Lord of Shadows, sire. The force of evil that the Luminary was sworn to defeat. He has been controlling you until Heliodor was attacked, in order to destroy the Luminary."

"The Luminary... Irwin's child? He survived?"

"He survived the fall of Dundrasil, but... I do not know of his current fate. He grew up on the grounds we now stand on, raised by the people here. He... He and his companions went to Yggdrasil, I believe to obtain the sword that was sleeping there in order to defeat the Lord of Shadows. And we followed, because... we were going after Jasper. Sire, Jasper has also fallen to the darkness. We went there to prevent his plan, but... I did not realize I was leading the Lord of Shadows right to Yggdrasil. My deepest apologies, Your Majesty. I have completely failed you, and Heliodor." He lowered his head. "I should have realized you were... not yourself. The Lord of Shadows has destroyed Yggdrasil and set his minions upon the world, and I could do nothing." He didn't ask for forgiveness. He didn't think he could even forgive himself, let alone ask it of anyone else.

Carnelian closed his eyes. "So that's why the world has suddenly come to such a dire state. Hendrik, raise your head. Whatever regrets we have, we cannot dwell on them. We must focus on those who are still alive." He let out a sigh. "So we do not know if the Luminary still lives."

"I do not. I am not even sure how we escaped from Yggdrasil as it fell. It is possible he too survived that, but...."

He nodded understanding. Then in a quiet voice, he asked, "Was... Jade not in Heliodor when it was attacked?"

"She... was traveling with the Luminary. She, too, was on Yggdrasil when it fell. I do not know whether she survived that, either. But up until then, she was alive and well, though she had not returned to Heliodor since Dundrasil fell."

"She wasn't in Heliodor? Why?"

"I don't know, sire. We believed her to be dead--the Lord of Shadows in you blamed the Luminary for her death, calling him a 'Darkspawn'. When next I saw her, she had already joined with the Luminary as one of his companions."

Carnelian digested this. "She... would be around twenty-six now, I believe. She has already become an adult. Was she... doing well, at least?"

"I believe so. She has become a smart and capable young woman."

He nodded. "Thank you, Hendrik. Now, we must focus our attention on the days ahead. We will prioritize finding survivors and providing for them. Once you have recovered in full, we can decide on the specifics."

"Of course, sire." Just like that, Jade was gone from Carnelian's plans. Even if she had survived, she would be somewhere out in the vastness of Erdrea, and they both knew there was simply no manpower or supplies available to search. The Lord of Shadows had put up a facsimile of grief over his daughter's fake death after the fall of Dundrasil. And now the real King was going to grieve for real, in private. 

"I will let you rest," Carnelian said, rising from the stool. "I wish you the swiftest of recoveries."

Hendrik kept his head bowed until Carnelian had left, and then lowered himself back down on the bed. Once again, there was nothing he could do, no words or action he could offer. Some general of the greatest army in the world he was. He hadn't even protected a lost princess. Zwaardsrust, Dundrasil, and now Heliodor and the whole world. Soon enough, he would have nothing left to protect.

* * *

  
He'd found more survivors than he'd found supplies, and it felt like it was a slide a few feet closer to the inevitable end. Food was the most pressing issue: they could kill monsters for meat, but without sunlight, every plant in the area struggled to live. And the animals that fed on them, the cows and horses, struggled as well. Obsidian bore it as stoically as Hendrik did, never faltering when he placed strangers on the steed's back, never making a noise of complaint. Hendrik could only try to make it easier, with discovered patches of still-live grass and careful grooming in small moments snatched between tasks. It was a grind that was wearing them all down, would inevitably turn them all to dust, and yet he refused to allow himself to turn to dust himself as long as at least one other lived.

Food. Food was the first problem. What other storehouses could they find? Was there any way to grow more in a dying world? He was so preoccupied with it, he almost missed the figure standing by the road to let them through, his eyes skimming over before snapping onto him. The Luminary of legend, hero destined to take on the forces of evil, stood with Gemma next to him, as naturally as if they were neighbors. Their eyes met, and Hendrik could discern nothing from the younger man's expression. He certainly didn't seem _happy_ to see Hendrik, which was to be expected. Few people reserved anything but rancor for the one that had tried to kill them. 

"So you live... Luminary." The words came out without thinking, but even if he'd had time to prepare, he doubt he could have said anything cordial. Best if he simply stayed out of the Luminary's way. Just looking at him brought to mind the scene that had played out in Yggdrasil's heart, and it made him angry. He was the Luminary. It shouldn't have happened like that. He busied himself instead with leading the new survivors inside, guiding the wounded to the makeshift infirmary, seeing that the hungry were fed and the tired had a place to sleep or at least sit. That done, he went to report to Carnelian. "Your Majesty," he greeted as he swept aside the opening to the tent. "We've returned."

"Hendrik, welcome back." Carnelian was studying some notes he'd made, no doubt calculating how much they still needed to keep everyone alive. "How was your expedition?"

"We found sixteen survivors. We were also able to procure some supplies," he pulled out a list, handing it over. 

Carnelian looked it over. It wasn't a lot, Hendrik knew, but Carnelian mercifully refrained from pointing that out. "Do you think we've exhausted that area?"

"We might be able to find more with a very thorough search, but I don't know that the amount that could possibly be left would make the search worthwhile."

"True. It might be time to move onto greener pastures." Carnelian glanced up at Hendrik. "So, did you see him?" 

He knew exactly who Carnelian was referring to. "I did."

"For now, we have to hold the pass," Carnelian said. "Judging by what our scouts have assessed of the monsters' amassing, it'll likely be tonight. I'll ask that the Luminary join your forces in defending the pass."

Hendrik frowned. "I don't think he'll consent to work with us, sire."

"He will. Because the people of Cobblestone are in this bastion. He has a personal stake in this." Carnelian nodded to himself as he wrote something else down. "It was fortuitous that you thought to rescue them from the dungeons."

"I... That is not why I did it, sire."

"I know, Hendrik. You went to their aid for the same reason you went to everyone else's. But it benefits us. Should we survive the night--and with you and he both, I have confidence we will--I will have a new mission for you."

Hendrik thought about it. "The Manglegrove, perhaps? I believe there were some isolated settlements in that area we have not investigated yet."

Carnelian shook his head. "The Manglegrove can wait. Once we've overcome the immediate attack, I want you and the Luminary to go to Heliodor. There, you will snuff out the root of this darkness that casts its pall over this land."

Hendrik stared. Carnelian may as well have asked for Erdwin's Lantern in a box, an equally impossible task. "Sire... He'll never agree to that."

"He will. At the least, he seems to have inherited Irwin's sharpness of mind. He will realize that this is our best chance. We cannot afford to leave the Last Bastion undefended. Our only hope is to send in a small group in a precision strike. You and he are the ones best equipped to deliver that strike. It is the only hope of peace for his family and friends." Carnelian smiled slightly. "You don't have to be friendly with him, Hendrik. Think of him as a tool for aiding Heliodor."

"Sire...." Hendrik thought that line of thinking might be worse. 

Carnelian met his eyes. "Hendrik. Yggdrasil has fallen and the Lord of Shadows reigns supreme. I fear the time for a hero of legend has long since passed. We cannot undo what is done. We can only make use of what we have. The Luminary is still a skilled swordsman, and that will benefit us. In this situation, we do not have the empathy to spare for the feelings of a hero who cannot save us. We must think first of those of Heliodor."

It was a cold-blooded statement, one that Hendrik didn't think he could do. It was their fault, his and Carnelian's, that the Luminary had failed and the Lord of Shadows had taken everything. Except that he couldn't really blame Carnelian, either, for being possessed and held prisoner by a much more powerful force for so many years. Which only left himself as the one that could have, but didn't, done something to change the dark fate that had befallen them all. And now the king was asking him to callously disregard any harm that might befall the Luminary, if it would aid Heliodor. 

Hendrik didn't think he could have made that call. But that was why he wasn't a king. He was a soldier, who followed orders. And he would follow those orders, because it was the only thing he could still do.

***

The sewers that he had led Cobblestone's people out of were far more unforgiving on the way back in. Now, they were filled with the forces that had stormed Heliodor in the first place, slowing the pair of them down as they had to stop over and over again to kill more. It made him wonder if they would even be able to reach the actual castle. If there was any mercy left in the world, at least let him die in the open air, not under the ground.

By some miracle, they made it into the dungeons, pausing inside a cell to catch their breath. Already, he'd been injured, his clothing torn by claws and teeth, which didn't bode well for his chances. If only he had his armor... but that was probably still stored in his room, no closer in reach than anywhere else in the castle. He had to think. Where was their priority? Once they were inside the castle proper, where should they go? Upwards. He would just have to figure it out from there.

He felt a hand on his arm, felt the stirrings of healing magic around him. Hendrik yanked his arm out of reach, putting a hand over the spot like it was a fresh wound. "Worry about yourself, Luminary. I can handle my own injuries."

The Luminary didn't respond, looking away. Just think of him as a tool, Hendrik told himself. If he wanted to heal, let him. Perhaps he was doing the same mental calculations, figuring it would be to his benefit to keep Hendrik alive, despite everything. Hendrik cast his own healing magic, feeling his gashed flesh stitch back together. "If you are prepared, let us proceed upwards."

The Luminary didn't respond, and Hendrik took that as reluctant acceptance. Proceeding up the stairs out of the dungeon, he listened for monsters. He could hear them here and there, but more spread out than they'd been in the cramped sewers, enough that they might be able to dodge further enemies along their path. Gesturing for the Luminary to follow, he led the way out into the main hall, pausing behind a pillar. 

The once glorious main hallway of Heliodor Castle had been ruined. Broken stone and the remains of bodies littered the area, the tapestries and carpets stained and shredded. Even the main staircase had been shattered by who knew what, rendering it unusable. Hendrik looked at the broken stairs and bit back a sigh. Whatever it was, be it Jasper or otherwise, he could sense it as clearly as if it were a taste on his tongue, the evil that radiated from above. The throne room, of course. Where else would a power-hungry monster choose to lay in wait? "We need to find a way upstairs. Luminary?"

The youth wasn't listening, wandering toward the door leading to the outside courtyard as if being drawn. Hendrik bit back a sigh, following. Babysitting a hero of legend was not how he expected to be storming the castle.

The courtyard was surprisingly unchanged--the grass browner, the tree still standing. What was different was the vine wrapped around its base, that he'd never thought much of, was glowing with a golden pattern laced under its surface. "Yggdrasil," the Luminary said quietly, his voice catching. "Are you.... Are you still alive after all?"

"Luminary?" He was reaching out to the root, touching his hand to it. As he did so, it lit up with a white light, so much that Hendrik worried they would be found, but only for a moment as in the next, he found himself in another place and time altogether.

Like actors on a stage, a scene played out before him, but it was a scene he knew, a memory of a happier time. Himself and Jasper, still young, still optimistic. Unbothered by the trials that the future would bring, the destruction, the darkness that would seize a hold of his friend. Watching it anew, searching for some sort of sign, felt like a fresh stab. _Why, Jasper? What happened to you?_ And why, in that final fragment of memory, did he seem so... wounded?

The light faded away, and they were back in the courtyard, the Luminary slowly drawing his hand back. He'd seen it as well, he must have, and the realization made Hendrik feel like he'd been violated. "So this is the power of the Luminary? To pry into others' pasts? Very impressive."

He turned his gaze away, a bit of anger flashing across his face. Finally, even the veneer of cooperation was wearing off. "I can't control what Yggdrasil shows me. If you have a complaint, take it up with Her."

"The passageway is in the royal pantry," Hendrik said, turning toward the door. "We should be able to access His Majesty's chambers through it."

He didn't turn to see if the Luminary was coming, but heard the footsteps behind him, and continued until they reached the pantry. With most everything in the pantry either destroyed or long since raided, it was easy to spot the passageway behind a half-broken shelf. A quick shove and it was fully broken. "Let us proceed."

"Um..." Hendrik paused, looking back. The Luminary was avoiding his eyes again. "I'm sorry I snapped at you. I just... Logically, I know you're not a bad person. And the King, too. But when I look at you, I just feel frustrated, like... why didn't you..." He cut himself off, moving into the passageway. In the dim lighting from above, Hendrik saw his shoulders slump. "But I think the person I'm really frustrated at is myself. It isn't your fault. _I'm_ the Luminary. Please... have some patience with me."

Hendrik was at a loss for words. The Luminary didn't hate him. All of the pent-up anger he'd assumed would come to him for his sins was anger the Luminary had been directing at his own self. But the one that had been projecting his own anger at his failings upon someone else was himself, against a child half his age. _The person I'm really frustrated at it myself, indeed. I'm such a fool._ "Luminary," he watched as the boy paused on the stairs. "I've treated you horribly. I apologize. I cannot make up for how I have failed you, but at least allow me to assist you in this venture."

"You don't have to apologize to me. You didn't do anything wrong. But... thank you."

Hendrik shook his head. "I... had my doubts from the start. When Jasper told me he was going to burn Cobblestone because it would demoralize you, I thought it strange that a supposed spawn of evil would care at all about one town. And every time we met, there was something that made me doubt anew--the loyalty of your friends to you and you to them, how you were concerned over Sniflheim's citizens... But I let myself be deceived by those I trusted. I should have trusted my own feelings instead."

The Luminary turned around, his eyes on Hendrik's face. "I don't think you were wrong to trust them, Hendrik. You care about them, right? Of course you'd want to believe in them."

Hendrik wasn't sure how to respond to that. Of all the things he'd heard about the Luminary of Legend, the one thing he hadn't expected them to be was... human. "We should proceed. Let us take down the rot at the heart of this castle."

The Luminary nodded, falling into step next to Hendrik as they emerged from the secret passage. There were no monsters in the area, but he could sense the darkness all the stronger up here. "Be on your guard, Luminary," Hendrik said in a low tone. 

He nodded, drawing his own sword. Hendrik walked to the throne room doors, pushing them open with one hand. All was silent as they both entered. The throne room had been destroyed even more than the rest of the castle, the back wall completely gone, opened up to the clouded sky. And then, they heard it, a soft clapping from the throne. Jasper sat on the throne, applauding mockingly. "Well done, Hendrik, old friend. To think that you'd make it this far, and with the Darkspawn in tow, no less."

"Jasper!" For the first time in his life, Hendrik saw red, and could think of nothing more than spitting Jasper on the end of his sword. He charged, but Jasper turned to smoke, the strike doing nothing. 

"Temper, temper, old _friend_ ," Jasper laughed. "Once upon a time, brute force would have won you the day. But things have changed now."

"You!" Hendrik swung again, and Jasper blocked with his staff, swiping at Hendrik in return. For a moment, Hendrik forgot everything--Heliodor, the mission, the Luminary--as he tried again and again, with increasing frustration, to kill a man he'd once called friend. "Traitor! How could you betray your country, your king! Why would you fall so low? Were the lies the darkness promised you so tempting?"

Jasper vanished again, reappearing some distance away. "Why, he asks! What a joke! That's exactly the question I've always wanted to ask _you_." Jasper pointed his staff, launching several dark bolts at Hendrik. "Why were _you_ the one who was granted every golden opportunity? The one who always got what he wanted?" Hendrik leapt aside, charging toward Jasper again, and steel met steel once more. "Well, no more! I'll not be second best to you any longer!"

"What are you talking about?" Hendrik swung again, but Jasper leapt back, landing lightly on top of Carnelian's throne. 

"Thanks to you, Hendrik, I realized something. Love, light, dreams, hope... these things are all worthless." Jasper called magic to his hand, the darkness rippling and pulsing. "The only thing that matters is power. And the only power that matters is that of darkness."

"You're wrong!" The Luminary's voice cut through Hendrik's rage, reminded him of why they were there in the first place. "You're wrong. Love, hope and dreams... They absolutely do matter!"

Jasper looked at him, eyes narrowing in an expression of disgust. "How I utterly despise such simpletons like you. Little children should be seen and not heard." He took the darkness in his hand, and threw it at the Luminary.

Not again. Hendrik refused to be helpless one more time. He couldn't save Dundrasil, couldn't save either of his homes... but he could save this one person. He bodily threw himself in front of the Luminary, the darkness hitting him full on. It was like being punched with a bolt of lightning, his insides feeling as if they'd all been turned inside out, individually. "Hendrik!" the Luminary said in alarm.

 _My apologies, Your Majesty_ , Hendrik thought. _As I thought, I cannot follow that order, after all._ He put the tip of his sword into the marble floor, forcing himself back to his feet. "Jasper. My home... my family and friends... all were destroyed at the hands of the darkness you worship. Though some call me a 'hero' and laud my bravery, it has always come at the heels of a tragedy I could not prevent. In truth, I am naught but a fraud who could not even protect the castle we stand in. But the people... the people of Heliodor are still alive. I can still protect them. I must protect them. And there is one... I must protect above all others." He looked over his shoulder at the Luminary, who watched him with wide eyes. There was still hope in those eyes. More than anything, Hendrik wanted to believe in that hope. "It is the Luminary's duty to defeat the darkness and bring light back into the world. And it is my duty to be his shield and protect him from the likes of you."

Jasper flicked his hair away from his eyes, fixing a red gaze on Hendrik. "Very well, then, Hendrik. Go ahead and try to protect him if you can. It will all be for nothing. Struggle. Scream and curse the skies for your own powerlessness as you watch everything left be taken from you. Only then will you realize that I have finally outdone you." Wings burst from his back, large, leathery things that beat the air viciously, sending Jasper into the sky. "I look forward to watching it, Hendrik!"

"Jasper!" He was gone--whether he'd vanished again or simply flown off, Hendrik wasn't sure. 

"Is he gone?" The Luminary sheathed his sword, walking over to Hendrik. Touching a hand to his back plate, he said, "You're hurt."

He was, more than he'd like to admit--Jasper's dark magic seemed specifically designed to tear a human body apart from the inside out. This time, he didn't pull away as the Luminary cast a healing spell, helping mend the damage. "...Thank you."

The Luminary shook his head. "No, thank you. You didn't have to protect me like that, but you did."

Hendrik pulled himself straight, pulling the sword from the floor. "Be alert. The darkness has not dissipated from this area."

"Of course it hasn't," a voice said from behind the throne, a new voice. "It's my darkness, and what a fine vintage it is." The speaker stepped out--a skeleton covered in full plate, one eye socket filled with a glowing purple orb. "Welcome to my castle, pitiful mortals. I am Tyriant, one of the six Spectral Sentinels, and I shall end you. The eternal night shall not be interrupted!"

Wordlessly, Hendrik readied his sword, and the Luminary drew his own sword. Jasper may have been the one that had targeted Heliodor, but this creature was the reason they had come. The pain from his wounds had receded. This time, he was not going to fail.

This time, the fight wasn't even close. 

The orb that had been in the creature's eye rolled across the floor as the rest of him turned to dust and smoke. The Luminary picked it up, then nodded to Hendrik. "Let's go back."

Hendrik nodded agreement, and the two walked out of the castle. Nothing remained to put up a fight with them--the monsters remaining were panicked, fleeing as light came through the sky at last. Hendrik let out a whistle, and Obsidian came trotting up, the Luminary's horse following obediently. "As long as there is a 'back' to return to."

"There will be." The Luminary's eyes were straight ahead, and his expression was... different. As if he'd taken something back with that battle, some small victory against the darkness. "I believe in them."

Hendrik mounted, urging Obsidian into a trot. To the other horse's credit, she easily kept pace. A fine mare Cobblestone had produced. "You know," the Luminary spoke up, "I never thanked you for saving my hometown. Twice, even. Gemma told me about it. Thank you, Hendrik."

"I only did my duty. They are a fine people. Your mother especially is an exemplary woman."

The Luminary smiled. "You're pretty amazing, Hendrik. I mean, you were able to protect everyone, and you never gave up. I don't think I could've held onto hope like you did."

 _You're wrong, Luminary_. It had never been hope, but desperation, the fear of losing more, that had spurred him on. But now, just like the sky that had broken through the clouds, perhaps... "What are your plans from here, Luminary?"

"I'm going to look for my friends," he said. "They're alive, I know it. Jade, too," he added, looking at Hendrik. "She's very tough, so I know she survived. I'll find her as well."

"And after you find them?"

He looked back up at the sky. "I don't know if they'll want to come with me. But... I don't think I can leave things the way they are. Even if the Lord of Shadows is much more powerful now, even if the world is already too far gone, I... am still going to try."

It was impossible, no doubt. The Lord of Shadows, having shed his disguise, had now taken the power of Yggdrasil and destroyed the world. And against him, a boy who was barely an adult, who had taken the burden of the world's failing fate onto his own shoulders and no other, not even those of his former enemies. Hendrik wanted to believe in that hope. But more than that, he wanted to shield the child in front of him from the world's darkness, if only a small amount.


	8. [Act 2] Horoscopes

There was a calendar on the ship's wall Erik hadn't noticed before, a simple thing listing out months and days on a long scroll. Hmmm... Erik took it off the wall, carrying it and a pencil out to the deck. "Hey, Junichi. When's your birthday?"

"My birthday? It's...." He paused. "Well, we always celebrated it on the day I came to the village, but I suppose that's not actually it, is it? Hey, Rab? When is my birthday?"

"Yer birthday?" The older man looked up from his book. "It's the fifteenth day of the eighth month. Now that I think about it, that's coming up pretty soon. We'll have to do something to celebrate."

Eighth month, fifteenth day.... Erik spread the calendar on the deck and circled the date, writing Junichi's name underneath. "Huh. What year is that?"

"I'll be nineteen on my next birthday."

"Man, you really are the baby of the group, aren't you?" Erik counted back, charting out the number in his head. "Wow, that's a pretty lucky date."

"Lucky date?" Junichi crouched next to the calendar, looking at it. "What are you doing?"

"You ever hear of star charts?"

"No?"

"Sniflheim's huge into it. They believe the stars under which you were born has some bearing on your personality and fate. So those that are born in a certain month are more likely to have certain personality traits. Good and bad, but the charts usually focus on the good." He drew a few lines among the eighth month dates, counting out some days. "And the day of the month matters, too, and so does the year. Each one has its own personality trait. In your case, the eighth month represents sincerity." He wrote the word next to the eighth month. "And the fifteenth day is a sincerity day too, and if I've done the math right, your birth year is a sincerity year. So your stars are triple sincerity. Triples are considered to have really strong fate."

"Makes sense to me," Jade said from behind Junichi, leaning over him. "I expect you don't get a much stronger fate than going up against the Lord of Shadows."

"What's it mean by 'sincerity'?" Junichi asked.

"Means you're a terrible liar," Erik commented.

Jade laughed, leaning her forearms on Junichi's head. "You're not wrong. Junichi's very much the type where what you see is what you get, isn't he?"

"It means you're always true to yourself," Erik added, seeing Junichi's expression still confused. "You're no good at pretending or holding secrets, but everyone always knows where they stand with you."

"Do you know all of them?" Jade asked. 

"I don't remember all of them, but I remember the months at least. Those are the most important, anyway. What's yours?"

"Ninth month, twenty-seventh day. So what's that? Why are the months the most important?"

He circled the date, adding Jade's name. "I don't remember exactly. Something about the stars being on a yearly cycle, I think, so there's more variation between months than there would be between days or years. I picked up most of this secondhand. Let me think...."

"Well, don't strain yourself. You did just recover your memory."

"It's fine. A lot of stuff's still kind of fuzzy--I don't really remember anything after Yggdrasil--but I remember the important stuff. And weird stuff like this, I guess." He wrote a word next to the ninth month. "Now I got it. It's 'determination'. Yeah, that's you to a tee."

She laughed. "It definitely is."

"You sound like you're having fun," Sylvando said as he popped up from nowhere. "What are we doing?"

"He's teaching us about star charts," Jade said. "When's your birthday, Sylvando?"

"Oh, isn't that the Sniflheim thing they like to do use to compare compatibility and such?" Sylvando grinned. "Trying to see who might be a match, darling?"

"You can use them for that, but I don't really know much about that part of it. So, when's your birthday?"

"Twelfth month, seventeenth day." Sylvando grinned. "I'm a winter boy."

"Twelfth month... right, that's 'passion'." Erik put down Sylvando's name and the word by the month.

"Passion? Ooh, I love it! Say, we should put everyone's birthdays on there. Rab, when's your birthday? And where's Hendrik? Hendrik, honey, get over here!"

Rab tucked the book away, joining the group. "All right, I'll bite. I'm fourth month, fifth day. So what's that?"

Erik counted out the months again, the repetition helping him remember the full order better and better. "That's.... oh. Oh."

"Well, what is it, laddie? Don't keep me in suspense."

Erik looked to the side. "Well, it's... pervertedness."

Junichi had the tact to try and muffle his laughter. Jade and Sylvando didn't even bother. "Wh-wh-- You're joshing with me, laddie!" Rab spluttered.

Erik couldn't hold it in anymore, and laughed himself. "Of course I'm kidding. Fourth month is wisdom." He added name and attribute to the calendar.

"Oh... well... that's better."

Jade grinned at Rab. "He got you there." 

"That he did indeed." 

"You see, Junichi, sincerity means you can't do that," Jade added. 

He considered. "You're probably right."

Hendrik finally joined the group, sweat still visible on his bare arms. Three guesses as to what he was doing, and the first two didn't count. "Did someone have need of me?"

"We need to know when your birthday is," Jade said. 

"My... birthday?" Hendick's brow furrowed. "It's not close. Why do you ask?"

"Star chart. When's your birthday?"

"It's first month, tenth day." Hendrik still looked puzzled. "What is a star chart?"

Erik wrote down the name and attribute while Jade explained. "First month would be loyalty."

"It's amazing how they all fit," Junichi said. "Do the stars really determine our fate?"

"Some people think that, sure. I dunno that I really believe in fate, but I dunno that it's just coincidence, either."

"Hey, you haven't put your birthdate on here, darling," Sylvando pointed out. "No fair keeping secrets!"

Erik paused, his hand hovering over the calendar. He knew exactly when his birthdate was, of course, but.... "Mine's third month, first day. That's the month of trust. Day, too. And I was born in a trust year, so I'm a triple too."

"Trust, huh. So you've got a really strong fate, too?" Jade asked.

"Right? I used to think it was such a joke." Erik rested his chin in one hand. "But now... I think I get it a little."

No one said anything in response, but they were smiling. Erik appreciated it, appreciated their quiet feelings and, well, everything, but couldn't find a way to say that properly. For now, the calendar would have to do. "Hey, Junichi, you know my sister's born in the same month as you? She's born on the sixth, though, which is a determination day. And she's a passion year. So when they're mixed like that, your guiding star's supposed to be your month, then it's supported by day, then year."

"You should put hers on there, too," Jade said. "That way, we can celebrate it later."

He grinned. "All right, I'll add her in. Anyone else we should add?"

"Um..." Junichi paused. "Could we... add my parents?"

"Your... birth mom and dad, or you mean Ms. Amber?"

"All of them." Junichi thought about it. "Mom's birthday is the second month, twenty-fourth day, but I don't know about Mother or Father."

Erik added her. "That month's steadfastness."

"Och, that's a wee coincidence," Rab said. "Eleanor's birthday was in the second month, too, though hers was the thirteenth. And Irwin's was ninth month, third day."

"Uncle Irwin's was the same month as me?" Jade blinked. "I never knew that."

"He wasn't used to everyone making such a big to-do over his birthday once he became king," Rab recalled, a distant light in his eyes. "He didn't like it. So we officially "celebrated" it during the summer festival and held a little party on the real day."

Erik looked at Sylvando. "When's Dave's?"

In quick succession, they added Dave's (first month), Don Rodrigo's (ninth month), Carnelian's (fourth month), and Gemma's (twelfth month). "We don't know when Veronica or Serena's birthday is," Junichi noted. "When do you think theirs is?"

"It'd be something that applied to them both, wouldn't it?" Jade mused. "Maybe twelfth month?"

"Maybe, but..." Erik tapped the calendar. "I bet it's second month. I think that's one trait they share in common. But I guess we won't know until we ask them."

Junichi nodded. "Let's hurry to Arboria, then. I have a feeling they're waiting for us there."


	9. [Act 2] A soldier's experience

They camped in the desert that night, setting up at one of the goddess statues by the road. The fragments of Erdwin's Lantern were still streaming through the skies, streaks against the reddening sunset. Once everything was set up, Junichi quietly excused himself, stepping behind some rocks to practice. A swing of one sword, and then the other, a parry and a block, all moving organically together as he tuned out the rest of the world, letting his body do the work.

He didn't even notice Hendrik approaching until the older man had blocked one of his blows, the sound of metal breaking his focus. "You look as if you are in need of an opponent," he said quietly. "Would you like me to oblige?"

Junichi paused, but then nodded an invitation, readying himself. Hendrik brought his greatsword around in one smooth movement, then jabbed at Junichi experimentally, testing his defenses. Junichi responded, probably more aggressively than he should have, for one blade nicked Hendrik's bare arm, but the knight showed no sign of discomfort as he made his own counterattack in response. Undeterred, Junichi ducked under the blade, thrusting one blade forward again.

They continued on in this way for a while, Junichi making most of the attacks, Hendrik largely content to defend, only pressing an advantage when an opening arrived. Then, abruptly, he stopped, planting the tip of his sword in the ground. "Shall we stop here? We still need to travel in the morning. It wouldn't do to exhaust yourself."

He did feel tired, drained, as if something had leeched out of him onto the sand. "I suppose so. Thank you." He resheathed both swords.

Hendrik was looking at his own sword, pausing as he noticed the movement. "When was the last time you maintained your weapons?"

"Huh?" Junichi blinked. He couldn't recall the last time he'd actually sat down and sharpened his swords or anything. "Well..."

Hendrik sighed. "Here. Let me take a look."

Junichi redrew the sword, handing it over, and Hendrik sat down on a rock, scrutinizing the blade carefully. "I don't see any nicks or damage, but the edge isn't as sharp as I would like. Do you know how to sharpen a sword?"

"Sort of. My grandfather-er, my adoptive grandfather-taught me, but I was still pretty young when he passed away. I never got very good at it."

Hendrik looked up at him. "You've been journeying for this long and you haven't been sharpening your blades? How have you managed?"

Now he felt sheepish. "Reforging, mostly."

"That's probably excessive when you just need a sharpening, though I suppose if it's all you know, it would do." Hendrik gestured for him to sit. "If you can use the forge, you can sharpen a blade. It requires the same sort of critical eye."

Junichi sat down on a nearby rock, watching as Hendrik pulled a file out of his bag, setting to work. "The angle is the most important thing," he said, holding the file still to demonstrate. "After that, you just need to follow through with the movement and keep it consistent. Like anything, it comes with practice."

He pulled out his other sword and a file of his own, trying to mimic the movement. "Don't put so much force into it," Hendrik instructed. "You're not attacking the blade. Smooth, but firm." He watched Hendrik more carefully, then tried again, and this time must have been satisfactory enough for Hendrik to let him continue. After some time, he spoke again. "Is... something troubling you, Luminary?"

"What makes you say that?"

"During our practice, you weren't looking at me," Hendrik said, his head still bent over Junichi's sword. "You were looking past me at some other opponent. That was the enemy you truly wanted to fight."

The file in his hands stopped. "You saw him, didn't you? That winged creature that destroyed Erdwin's Lantern."

"I did."

"That was the Lord of Shadows. I'm certain of it."

Hendrik didn't respond right away, the sound of the file filling the quiet. "Is your concern that he destroyed Erdwin's Lantern and we do not yet know why?"

"No. I mean, yes, that is a concern, but... He was there. And I couldn't do anything. Part of me wanted to leap into the sky right then and cut him down, but... I couldn't move."

Nothing but the sound of the file again. The calm, soothing sound felt at odds with his turbulent thoughts. "That was for the best, however. If we are going to challenge the Lord of Shadows, we need every advantage we can get. That includes challenging him on our own terms, when we are fully prepared. We do not even yet have the Sword of Light. Have patience."

"I know. But I still... I hate the way I feel right now. That I hate him so much that I want to kill him regardless of the situation. That... I was so scared of failing again, I couldn't move. What if it happens when we go to face him for real? What if..." The words came out unbidden. Hendrik, perhaps, was the one who would most understand. "What if I fail again?"

"You will not fail," Hendrik said simply. "We will all succeed together, or we shall fail together. If you falter, we will hold the line until you are able to stand again. As long as it takes." He inspected the edge of the sword again, carefully running his thumb along it, before handing it back. "I believe your loyalty to your companions is far stronger than your fear and hatred."

"Hendrik... thank you." Junichi accepted the blade with both hands. It looked as pristine as the day he had found it.

Unbidden, Hendrik took the other sword from his lap, setting the file against it as well. "The Luminary's power... I have often wondered what its nature is. What was the nature of one chosen by Yggdrasil to lead Her light into the world? Why would she place Her power inside a human child? But I think the Luminary is the chosen one _because_ they are human. Mordegon is a creature born of human greed and cruelty. He does not steal away those with some arcane spell, but by speaking to the dark desires they already have." His hand paused, briefly. He was thinking of Jasper, Junichi knew it. "Perhaps it is only by knowing and understanding those dark desires, and choosing to reject them, that we can triumph over Mordegon."

Junichi looked down at the mark on his hand, rubbing his other thumb over it. "Maybe you're right." He closed his eyes, listening to the regular rasping of the file, just letting himself do nothing more than exist for a bit. "Thank you, Hendrik."

"It is but a trifle," Hendrik said, checking the blade. He chuckled. "I have probably had to sharpen more blades during my time as a knight than you may have seen in your life thus far." Handing it back, he said, "Shall we rejoin the group, then?"

"Yes."


	10. [Act 3] Fraternity

Hendrik had never backed down from a training challenge, but he was starting to think the task that Don Rodrigo had given them was actually impossible. It was doubly frustrating, because it wasn't a lack of training, or strength, or technique. "Shall we take a break, honey?" Sylvando asked, offering Hendrik a flask of water.

He took the flask but didn't drink, sitting down on a nearby fallen log. He knew what the problem was: he just couldn't work that closely with Sylvando. Journeying with the Luminary, he'd gotten somewhat used to fighting alongside people who weren't soldiers, but of them all, Sylvando was the one who was most erratic, most unorthodox. Then again, of their party Sylvando himself was likely the most unorthodox. Hendrik still couldn't connect how the son of Don Rodrigo, a serious, diligent boy who never smiled, had turned into... this.

"Hendrik?" Sylvando was watching him. "You all right, darling?"

Again with the 'darling'. Hendrik was pretty sure he was no one's 'darling'. "Yes. I'm just trying to figure out how to best improve our practice."

"We know the techniques," Sylvando said. "And I don't think we're having a problem doing them, either."

Hendrik nodded. Setting the flask aside, he looked down at the axe still in his other hand. It felt so light in his hand compared to his usual greatsword, with each swing fast and easy. No, the problem was just that he could not get a sense of timing with a man that juggled for a living. Sylvando sheathed his borrowed sword, giving him a nod. "Let's go back to the group. It's getting late."

"No, let's try a bit more. As you said, we need more practice."

Sylvando raised his eyebrows. "Yes, but I don't think it's going to do much good when we're both tired."

"Are you tired? I can keep going."

"I don't think you're physically tired, no." Sylvando sighed. "All right, darling, let's go until you're ready to stop."

They couldn't even agree on that much. Hendrik tried to rein in his irritation. Sylvando might be an entertainer, but he was no slouch in battle, at least. Hendrik just had to work a little harder to overcome the disparity in fighting styles. "I'm ready when you are."

Sylvando drew the sword again, then turned his attention to the metal dummy they'd been practicing with. He took the stance-a knight's stance, if a bit rusty, and went first, slicing at the dummy. His technique was sound. Hendrik went in next, trying to tap into the kinetic energy from the damage Sylvando had done, striking a massive blow. It felt right, but the dummy stayed in one piece, silently mocking them. Another misstep of timing. "Let's go again."

They tried a second, and then a third, and then a fourth, with no improvment. "Hendrik, honey, let's stop," Sylvando urged him again. "It's not getting any better. We can try again tomorrow. It's not like we'll be at the Kingsbarrow by tomorrow, anyway."

"No one said it would be easy, Sylvando."

"It's not a matter of difficulty. We're just not used to what we're doing yet." Sylvando put a hand to his chin. "Maybe we need to mix it up a bit. Try approaching it from a different angle."

"We just need to work harder, that's all." Hendrik rested the axe on his shoulder. "So do you want to try again, or not?"

"Hendrik, that's so like you. You're very much the type to beat a problem until it's dead. It's nice to know you haven't changed. But thinking inside the box isn't going to help in this situation."

"Why shouldn't it? There are plenty of knights before us that have mastered this technique. Thinking inside the box served them just fine."

"Yes, but _I'm_ not inside the box." Sylvando sighed. "And really, nothing we're doing right now is inside the box. We're going into a fight that no one before us has won. I think being a bit unorthodox might be to our advantage."

"You're overthinking it, Sylvando. Let's just focus on the task at hand. We need to have this mastered by the time we get to Kingsbarrow."

"And if we don't? Papi said it often takes years to master this technique. And that's with someone you know well. We don't have years."

"I know. We'll just have to work hard and do our best."

"Failure never occurs to you, does it, Hendrik?" Sylvando smiled. "That's something I've always admired about you, you know."

Hendrik couldn't look him in the eye. He knew about failure. His failure rested in his pocket, in the shield emblem on a chain that he wore the twin to. "If you think I don't know about failure, I would posit you don't know me as well as you think. I'm not the child that trained under your father, Sylvando."

A slight smile tugged at Sylvando's lips. "So you have your doubts, then? I figured I was the only one. So tell me about it, then. Let's get to know each other better."

"We don't need to discuss this. It's not necessary for our success in this technique."

"You would probably rather be having this discussion with him, wouldn't you?" Sylvando said, folding his arms around himself as he looked to the side. "Jasper, I mean. You two would've probably had this technique in half a day."

Hendrik felt his back knot up, and without thinking, he took a step toward the other man. "Sylvando...!"

"Yes, honey? Do you want to talk about him, then?" Sylvando met his eyes. "I'm willing to listen, at least."

"No. I don't want to talk about this." He didn't think he could.

"Well, if you're sure, I won't force you." Sylvando ran a hand through his hair. "I thought maybe if one of us could get over our hang-ups in this relationship, we might have a chance."

"Hang-ups? What are you-"

"You wanted to do this with him. Someone who you could work with, that understood you. At the least, you wanted to master this with someone _like_ him. A knight. Not a minstrel, right?"

Hendrik didn't argue, because Sylvando was right. He'd been struggling the entire time with doing what he thought of as a knight's technique with someone who wasn't. "Don Rodrigo is an experienced teacher. If he gave us this task, he has confidence we can do it."

"He has confidence because I'm his son. But he hasn't even _seen_ me since I left home all those years ago. Being born to someone great doesn't mean you'll be great yourself." Sylvando smiled, but it didn't feel like his usual cheerful smile. "It hurts a bit to look at you sometimes, you know."

"I beg your pardon? Why?"

"Because you're the kind of man my father wanted me to be. Muscles, a strong sense of justice, dedicated, stoic... That's hardly your fault, though. It's just my own hang-ups that I have to deal with."

"Sylvando..." Hendrik didn't think he was really equipped to handle this conversation-dealing with feelings was not one of his strong suits. But his curiosity overrode his trepidation. "Why did you decide to become an entertainer, then?"

Sylvando didn't answer right away. "Because I had to be me. I can't be someone else's image of me. Even if that someone else is my own father. Think about it this way, if you'd been born the son of a famous circus performer, do you think you could have been an entertainer?"

"I... don't know. It's difficult to imagine." The mental image of himself in a clown's outfit came to him unbidden, filling him with a deep melancholy. "... Probably not."

"It really made me happy to hear Papi call me a knight. I guess I did inherit his sense of justice, at least." He smiled suddenly. "Sorry to have been such a downer. Shall we try again tomorrow? I'm sure we can make this work."

Now there was the optimistic Sylvando he knew. "All right," he relented at last, putting the axe away. "Let's rest for now. I'll consider what you were saying about thinking outside the box."

"Well, maybe you'll have more luck than me with your considerations." Sylvando picked up the training dummy, giving Hendrik a smile. "Let's go rest."

* * *

When they made camp again the next night, after dinner, Sylvando dutifully picked up his sword again. Hendrik didn't follow right away, regarding the axe in his hand. "Wait a moment, Sylvando."

"Yes, honey?"

"Put away your sword. Let's try something different. Grab your whip instead."

Sylvando blinked. "Hendrik, I'm not really into that sort of play."

"What?" Hendrik wasn't sure he wanted to know where Sylvando's thinking was leading. "I mean let's try this technique with our regular weapons. You with your whip, and me with my greatsword."

"But the technique-"

"You understand how it's done, do you not? The actual weapon shouldn't matter. The sword and axe are just used because that's the easiest. But for us, I suspect the weapons we have been using will be easier."

Sylvando picked up his whip, considering. "The timing will be different."

"True. But I've fought alongside you while you use your whip. I already know that timing."

"Hm. All right, let's give it a go," Sylvando said with a nod. "It won't hurt to try."

They moved away from the camp, Sylvando setting the metal dummy up on a stump. The first part was really all up to Sylvando, Hendrik thought. In theory, breaking through the metal casing with a whip was doable, but theory and practice were two different things. And then there was the timing. The greatsword would still be able to do the damage of the axe easily, but it took longer to swing, so he'd have to anticipate that hit of the whip before it actually landed. "Go ahead and try first," Hendrik said. "I think it'll be more helpful to make sure you've got your half down before I try to get in the way."

"All right. Here we go." Sylvando closed his eyes, letting the whip uncoil. Hendrik could practically see what he was visualizing, calculating the arc of the whip and how it would land. With a crack, he swung, landing a solid hit, but he immediately shook his head, recoiling the whip. "That wasn't it."

"Try it again."

"Of course. I'm not a quitter, honey." Sylvando shifted his stance, once again feeling his way through the technique before he did it. Hendrik studied him carefully, watching the movement of his shoulders, his hips. His eyes followed the curve of the whip, the flick as it landed the hit, trying to get a better feel for the speed of it. He'd seen it in battle, of course, had a sense for it, but it was another thing to watch it this closely. Sylvando tried again, shook his head, tried again, failed again. But his gaze stayed focused ahead of him, and he didn't utter a word of complaint. Don Rodrigo had the right of it, as he usually did, Hendrik thought. Underneath the feathers and the flair, his son was still a knight.

And then the right hit came, leaving a mark that glowed before it faded. "That!" Sylvando exclaimed. "That one, that was it."

"Can you do it again?" Hendrik unsheathed his greatsword.

"Yes, I think so. I get it now, I was just putting power in at the wrong point." He snapped the whip taut. "Let's do this, honey."

Hendrik watched Sylvando's whip, felt the roll of the coil, and moved, swinging his sword. It was just a little too slow, landing too late to make use of the crack in the metal defense Sylvando had opened, but that was fine. "Again!"

"You got it!"

The second time, he was too early, almost hitting Sylvando's whip. And the third time, Sylvando didn't get the timing quite right, missing the proper strike on the dummy. But then, after a few more failed tries, it finally came, the glowing hit from Sylvando, and Hendrik was just in time to throw all his power into the greatsword, shoving it in that crack. The training dummy split in half, then crumbled. "We..." Sylvando sounded stunned, and then he turned to Hendrik excitedly. "We did it! We actually did it! We pulled off the Executioner technique!"

Hendrik couldn't quite hide a smile. "Don't get too excited. We've got some more dummies to destroy. We haven't pulled it off until we can do it consistently."

"Oh, honey, those dummies better watch out, cause we're coming for them!" Sylvando snapped the whip taut. "They won't know what hit them, but it's going to be a whip and a greatsword!"

The next dummy took fewer tries than the one before, and by the time they got to the end, it only took the first try. Hendrik felt sore all over from the exertion, but in the pleasant way one got from exercise, coupled with a sense of victory. "We're going to do this, Hendrik," Sylvando said as he returned his whip to his side. "We'll show my Papi, and then we'll be able to get that weapon that will help us defeat Calasmos."

He nodded. "See? I told you we just needed to practice."

"I'm surprised. Thinking to tackle this technique with unconventional weapons is pretty outside the box. It's not like you." He grinned.

"I was... just thinking about how you said you had to be yourself. That you couldn't be anyone else. I thought maybe the same logic would apply to our weapons, too. Of course our timing was bad when we were using weapons we weren't used to and weren't used to seeing on each other."

Sylvando smiled. "Hendrik?"

"Yes?"

"That offer to listen is still open if you ever want to talk. About... things."

Hendrik still didn't feel ready for that conversation, but maybe he could take just a couple of steps. "I... cannot change what has happened. I can only try and understand why it did. But I don't believe I'll ever understand that, either." He offered a tired smile. "It's not something you can help with, probably. It's just my own hang-ups."

"Oh honey, I know about those." Sylvando put a hand to his cheek, thinking. "Do you think... it would help to go back? To Heliodor, I mean. Maybe he left something in writing that explains what he was thinking. We are pretty close, so it wouldn't be much of a side trip."

"It's not importa-"

Sylvando waved a finger in his face. "I'm going to stop you right there, Hendrik. It is important, and I'll tell you why. Because it has to do with you, and _you're_ important. Just like how a smile can empower someone to do greater things, those worries can weigh down your heart unimaginably. And we're going to need all the power we can get against this lord of all evil, so let's not unnecessarily burden ourselves, shall we?"

Hendrik gave Sylvando a little pat on the shoulder. "All right, you win. I suppose it would be good for Jade to visit Heliodor as well. Her father must be worried."

"Of course I win. The Great Sylvando makes a point to never lose." Sylvando gave him a wink. "But tomorrow, _we're_ going to win, so you'd better keep up, general."

Hendrik offered a rare smile. "You'd better make sure you keep up with _me_ , minstrel."


	11. [Act 3] The Seer, in dreams

Erik sat on a rock among the mists, the sound of water around him. Not the waves of the ocean he was used to, just a little trickle and the occasional drip, punctuated by the occasional drop of a fishing hook into the water. "How's the fishing?"

"Not very good," the Seer said from behind him. "I suppose that's to be expected, since this is a dream."

Erik nodded, looking out at the mists. "I thought you vanished."

"It seems a small portion of my power has attached itself to you." Another plop as the Seer tried recasting the line. "I don't expect it will do much, but perhaps we can have a nice conversation."

Erik didn't speak right away. "Why me?"

"Well, your fate was the one I interfered the most with. It makes sense that my power should be most closely tied to you."

Erik shook his head. "I mean... why me? I'm not a knight or royalty or descended from a sage, anything like that."

"Hm..." The Seer considered. "Perhaps because you reminded me of myself."

"Hey, don't compare me with you," Erik said, half-turning to look at the Seer over his shoulder. "I will _never_ betray my friends."

"Yes. I believe that." The Seer kept his back to Erik, the pole twitching slightly. "But you also understand what it is like to feel as though you have committed a great sin. To want to do anything to make up for that."

Erik sighed. Not wrong. "How am I supposed to stay mad at you when you say something like that?" He turned back to the mists.

Things fell silent again, punctuated only by a plip of water. "Are you aware of the stars under which you born?"

He did. The stars that he'd always thought were some sort of cosmic irony. "Triple trust."

"Yes. I needed someone who was in the right place and the right time, and someone... who would not betray their friends, even if tempted with power. I decided to put my faith in those guiding stars of yours."

"Can you actually see the future?"

"Not in the sense you are thinking, I suspect. Time is not the fixed, immutable thing many believe it to be. But Mordegon is myself, after all. I understood what he would do and thus, could take steps to counteract that. I needed someone who could help him when all seemed dark. A person that could understand loss, and be a reliable support. A friend. And then I found you, when and where I needed you."

"You had a lot of faith in someone that didn't even have a lot of faith in himself."

"Sometimes what is apparent to others is not so apparent to ourselves. And sometimes we do not grow into those better versions of ourselves until we are with those that will bring it out. You may not think much of me, which I understand, but truly, I was worthless before I met Erdwin."

He understood that feeling all too well. "Morcant... What is Calasmos? What are we up against, really? All the monsters have gotten so much more violent since he awoke, even ones that are normally peaceful. Why is he doing that?"

"I don't believe he's doing much of anything, in all honesty," Morcant replied. "His power is such that those with untapped darkness, monster or human, can think of nothing more than destruction. Of returning everything to the void, just like his own desire. But if you're asking if he is controlling them... truly, I believe he does not even notice them. Nor does he care that they are there. It is a mere side effect."

"So... what is he?"

"The simplest explanation, perhaps, is that he is an ego. An existence. But he is one that does not tolerate the existence of other creations. Erdrea enrages him simply by being. The grass and trees, the animals, the people... he tolerates none of it."

"Why?"

"That is a question I think no person can answer." Morcant cast the line again. "We who at the least tolerate other existences out of necessity, if nothing else, cannot hope to fathom an ego which does not."

"Can we... really do this?"

"It is as much a mystery as the rest of the future. No one can know the full scope of what is to come." Another long pause. "But I believe in that Luminary. He reminds me of my Erdwin a bit, you know. But just as important are the ones around him. If you do not falter, you will win."

Erik stared out at the mists again. There wasn't anything in particular to look at, which made it easy to just focus on his thoughts. "Hey, Morcant. I know it doesn't mean much coming from me, but... I forgive you. You've beaten yourself up long enough. You've made up for it."

Morcant was silent for so long, Erik thought he might've left. "You really are a kind person, aren't you?"

"Not really. But I guess I believe you when you said we had some things in common. So... thanks for putting me with people that make me a better version of myself."

"No, Erik. Thank _you_."

Erik paused, then turned. "Morcant-" But he was alone on the rock.


End file.
